You can't live in fear
by LordFrieza
Summary: Wonderwoman finds out what her worse fear is.
1. Chapter 1

"You can't live in fear." Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider the movie.

(I don't own anything that deals with DC, Batman, Wonderwoman, or the Scarecrow. I just had a wonderful idea and had to share it with the world.)

(Gotham Docks formally owned by Mr. Thorne)

Batman stood on the rooftop facing the pier that Scarecrow was suppose to be setting up for his newest experiment in fear. Batman watched has several men worked gathering barrels off of a small fishing vessel and brought them onto the pier. He watched has the men seemed to taking extra care not to bump anything and then one of them walked over to the door of the pier office and tapped on it. If Batman smiled now would be the time. Scarecrow walked out holding his newest attachment. The long needles hanging off of his hand ensured instant toxication. Batman began to sweep down when he heard the humming sound of the teleporter. He turned around and faced Wonderwoman.

"Princess." He said looking at her.

"Bruce we have an emergency meeting to attend." She said looking at him.

"I'll be there once I wrap this up. Don't get involved." He said looking at her once more. Jumping down he headed toward the surrounding thugs and began to take them out without anyone noticing.

Diana watched him work and seeing the time knew that if they where to get this meeting started anywhere near on time he would need her help. It wasn't just the meeting she thought of. She also enjoyed watching Bruce up close when he fought. She jumped down and headed toward where the Scarecrow was standing. She watched Bruce get close and then heard the sound of something striking against a metallic tank. She rose up to see one of the Scarecrows thugs hit Bruce, and the Scarecrow walking toward him. She jumped up and rushed over toward them. The moment she got close enough the Scarecrow let a blast of his fear gas.

Diana coughed and rose up. She watched Bruce throw the thug over his shoulder. He turned back around and faced a gun held by the Scarecrow. She watched has Crane pulled the trigger and shot Bruce close range. Without warning she rushed toward the Scarecrow and slammed her fist into his gut. She watched has he fell gasping for breath against the pain of his now crushed intestines. She rushed over to Bruce and looked at him. His breathing became erratic and faint. She held his hand has he looked up at her.

"I wish that I could have finished that dance." He said through clenched teeth.

"Shh... You'll be fine. I've seen J'onn patch you back together with worse." She said has she squeezed his hand slightly.

"No, the bullet hit my heart. Nothing is completely bullet proof that up close."He said has his eyes began to close.

"Don't you dare leave me!" she shouted at him.

"Princess I would never leave of my own free will, but this is different…" he said has he slipped away.

She looked at him has he lay there. She hugged him close to her and began to weep. Each sob, each tear felt has though her heart was being torn from her chest. That's when she heard the laughter. She looked at the Scarecrow has he laid there laughing at the Batman.

"I always knew that I would be the one. I the master of fear killed the Batman!" He shouted.

She stood up and walked toward him. His laughter stopped has she brought up her foot and placed it against his neck. He began trying to push against her and even shooting more fear gas toward her. Instead of backing off she pressed the foot harder and hears the snapping sound of his neck. She backed up and watched his lifeless body lay there. Walking over to Bruce's body she picked him up and touched the communicator.

"Two to transport to medical bay now!" she shouted into the communicator.

She laid him on the table and watched has J'onn and the other medical techs worked on him for several minutes. They had his heart beating again for a few moments but soon he lay silent and J'onn her friend looked at her while shaking his head.

"Diana I'm sorry. We are unable to save him." He said to now distraught Amazon.

Diana walked out of the medical bay her face showing no emotion. She felt has though the entire world had died and everything that once held some beauty was gone. She looked at the foot she had used to kill the Scarecrow and felt ashamed of what had happened. Bruce had believed in never taking anyone's life even those that would kill him. She looked up and found her-self in Bruce's room on the Watchtower. She sat down on his bed and grabbed his pillow. She knew for a fact that he had stayed up in the room about three days ago after the fight the League had with a rouge collection of Sinestro troops that had came close.

"Bruce why..." She said has she held the pillow and took in his scent. Looking down at the floor she could almost hear Bruce's voice calling to her. She lay down on the bed and listened to the sounds of the computer beeping out a single note has it processed the information Bruce had been collecting.

"Diana." She heard the voice more clearly. Looking up she saw nothing but she could hear the sound.

"Bruce?" she asked the bodiless voice.

"Diana can you hear me?!" The voice shouted with more power. She turned away and looked out the window. She wanted to be here in this room and not chasing ghosts. This room was the closest thing she had left of Bruce.

"Diana don't leave me!" The voice shouted with more authority.

"Bruce I didn't leave you did." She said quietly.

The voice didn't let up the night and it kept right on through the next day. She went back into the medical bay and looked at J'onn.

"Diana what is the matter?" The Martian asked.

"I'm hearing Bruce. J'onn do you believe that someone can be connected so powerfully that even when that person is dead they can communicate?" She asked.

"I don't know Diana. If it was true then I would have tried to talk to those I lost on Mars years ago." He said looking at her.

She nodded and walked out. She didn't even give J'onn the chance to run any tests. After all even if it really wasn't Bruce she didn't want it to stop.

"I know you can hear me Princess. Wake up!" The voice shouted.

"Bruce I am awake. Hera, why can't you hear me Bruce?" She said to the voice.

She finally walked to the teleporter and looked at the controls. She punched in the code for Wayne Manor and soon was standing at the front door. She tapped on it and was greeted by the sight of Alfred, Tim, Barbra, and Dick. Each of them was standing around and crying about the loss of Bruce.

"Alfred I'm sorry." She said

The older Englishman shook his head and led her to a small room. When the doors opened she saw a freshly made bed, a tux, wedding dress, and finally a map with several locations circled.

"It took him a long time even admit he loved you this much. Of course you know Master Bruce. He could never leave anything unplanned. The moment he realized that he couldn't keep you out forever he began to plan for a wedding. He even had me create a story of how both you and Bruce Wayne met and kept in touch. Now, now it's gone and no one will ever know. Alfred said has escorted her out and locked the door. She watched has he begun to lock all of the doors to any room Bruce had lived in.

"Alfred what are you doing?" She asked.

"Your highness I have to lock anything that belonged to Master Bruce away. Since he never truly gave himself to anyone no one can see what he has seen ever again." He said has he finished the last door.

"Master Dick, Master Timothy, and Miss Gordon all three of you need to dispose of the bat cave. It is Master Bruce's wish that it be destroyed and all traces of himself and Batman be removed from the manor." He said to the three.

They nodded and head down to the cave.

"Alfred this is insane. Bruce would never have Batman removed from the world.

Alfred turned around and looked at her with what seemed like hate in his eyes.

"And what do you know of Master Bruce other than wanting to chance who he was? Did you know every time he was on a mission with you he put his own safety second? I believe you where more to blame for his death than that of Scarecrow!" Alfred hissed at her.

She backed off and flew out the door. Once outside she looked at the cemetery where Bruce's parents were buried. She headed over to the grave site and looked at the head stone.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"You killed our son." A muffled voice said.

"He could have lived and been unhappy, but you brought light into the darkness!" Another voice shouted from under the ground.

She stepped back and turned around to see the Scarecrow standing there with his neck hanging loosely.

"You know for loving someone you throw away what they believe in pretty quickly!" The voice of Dr. Crane echoed in her ears.

She began to grab her head and scream and then she heard the voice again.

"Diana you have to fight this." She heard the sound and looked at a tunnel of light. She

Once she was through she looked up at the face of Batman. She looked around to see Scarecrow knocked out and tied down.

"Princess I felt that I almost lost you." He said has he held her close.

"Don't ever leave me." She said has she kissed him.

He was surprised and looked at her.

"I hate to ask, but when Scarecrow hit you with the gas what was the fear you lived through?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later, but let's go home." She said has she pressed the button on the communicator and they where teleported up to the Watchtower.


	2. You cant always get what you want

**You Can't Always Get What You Want**

Diana walked through the halls of the Watchtower, thinking hard. It had been almost a week since her encounter with Scarecrow, and the experience had left a strong lingering respect for Bruce. She had always considered her enemies to be simply stronger and more dangerous. It was a hard lesson to find out that she was wrong. She thought of how small and exposed Scarecrow had made her feel with his fear gas. The night after the attack she prayed to Hera to protect Bruce from the enemies that he so often faced alone.

Her thoughts kept her from seeing the gathering of people in the hall. She bumped into someone and looked ahead to see Flash standing with his mouth hanging open. She walked ahead and saw her mother, Hippolyta, standing in the center of the hall - giving Clark a dressing down and comparing him with Heracles.

"Of all of the pigheaded, selfish, degrading, _male_ things to do to a woman!" she yelled, sticking her finger in his face Clark's face.

Diana normally would stand behind her mother, but she had never known Clark to do anything that wasn't respectful to any woman. She began to wonder if it was too late to simply turn back and walk back down the hall.

"When I heard that a mere mortal nearly defeated my daughter I believed that it had to be you! But now you tell me that it was a man who controls fear? That is outlandish and unbelievable! There is no mortal that can control fear! That power belongs to Phobos only!" Hippolyta said, with stern inflection.

"Mother, wait," Diana said as she walked forward. "It is true." She knew for her mother to come to Man's World, it meant she believed Diana had been in grave danger.

"This can't be true. No mere mortal has the power to control fear," Hippolyta said as she walked toward Diana.

"It is, Mother. He is a mortal, who lives in Gotham City. Batman is normally able to take him down without help, but I believed him to be in danger. I rushed forward and Scarecrow, as he calls himself, used a gas on me that made me see my worst fear. It was an experience that I would wish on no one. If I believed that Phobos was able to live through a human, then he would be the one," Diana said, looking her mother in the eyes.

Hippolyta looked her daughter in the eyes and saw only truth there. She sighed and turned toward a slightly ticked off Superman.

"I offer my apologies for my words. It is hard for me to believe that a mortal could have done such a thing, but if he is what my daughter claims, then this 'Scarecrow' is a being that I have not seen in my many years," Hippolyta said to Superman.

She then turned around and walked with Diana down that hallway. "Tell me, daughter, how did you stop this incarnation of Phobos?"

"It was actually Batman that stopped him. Mother, I was trapped inside a world that seemed real. His fear gas made me see the death of someone that I care deeply about. I watched as this person died in my arms, and then I watched as those close to him destroyed everything he is and ever believed in. The effect was maddening, but I managed to escape. It took a great deal of willpower and help to release me from the hold of fear," Diana defended.

Hippolyta stopped, looking sternly at her daughter. "Diana. You said 'him' when you mentioned someone close to you dying." She took her shoulders. "My daughter, I do not ask that you not take friendships lightly, but understand that these are mortals. Their lives are but candles, flickering in the wind. At every turn they face death, and yet somehow they still have the courage to face the oncoming day. I have never stopped respecting them for that reason, but I do not want you to entangle yourself with a mortal. It will only cause you pain," she finished gently.

_Mount Olympus_

Phobos looked at the pool, in which it was possible to observe both the mortal and immortal worlds. He had smiled when his mortal vessel had nearly broken the daughter of Hippolyta. The test that came to all heroes was perhaps the greatest experience he had. His gaze passed to Hera, who looked pleased that _her_ favorite had come through the initial testing without harm. But she also knew that the remaining trials - that did not belong to Diana - would require more than just the reaction to fear.

"Phobos, you have done well. Still, before what your mother has proposed can happen, this hero must prove to us that he is worthy," Hera said as she turned to Zeus.

"You are right of course, wife. As Phobos was unable to break his spirit with the deaths of his parents, and was unable to stop him from helping the chosen warrior of the Amazons, we must continue elsewhere." Zeus stood and began to stretch.

"My lord, I have a suggestion," Phobos said has he touched the pool. The interior of Arkham was shown to them. He touched it again and they saw two individuals. One was the human embodiment of Persephone - known as Pamela Isley. The other was an immortal through science. The once-mortal had attempted to save his wife and had been turned into a creature that could live forever, but always in the cold. Zeus smiled has he looked at Victor Fries.

"Both are great tests, but I fail to see how this is relevant," Zeus said as he looked at Phobos.

"My lord, while watching the other universe we have domain over, I noticed a mortal called the Green Goblin. He said something that I believe to be true. A cunning warrior attacks the heart. If we are to break this hero we must attack the heart - and his heart secretly belongs to the princess, even if he will not admit it. If we cause her enough pain, eventually he will break," Phobos said.

Hera let out a visible shiver at the words. "Phobos is correct of course. The best way to defeat this hero is to attack what he loves. But I wish no harm to come to my favorite," she commanded as she moved nearer to Zeus.

He nodded. "Agreed. She will be safe - at least from physical means. But will will need to test this hero to see if he truly is worthy of being the one we choose." He nodded to Phobos. Phobos stood and stretched out his palms. Within seconds, Hades and Persephone stood before them. Zeus walked to Persephone.

"Sister, we have a question for you. You are aware of the mortal turned plant-nymph named Pamela Isley, correct?" he asked.

"Of course I know of her, my lord. She has been given a small portion of my power, but like all nymphs she takes her job too seriously. That is the reason I do not cause the mortal Bruce Wayne - or the Batman that he is slowly becoming - too much trouble when he captures her," she said, looking at the pool and wondering why they were looking at Poison Ivy and the embodiment of winter as well.

"We are testing Batman. We must all agree that while he is being tested we may not aid him directly. We are to set the tests in motion and allow them to play out," Zeus said, looking hard at both Hades and his wife.

Hades looked at the pool and almost spat when he thought of the 'hero' they were testing. He had no love for the 'Batman'. The mortal had enough knowledge of the gods to be a royal pain in the ass.

"Hades, I wish to borrow your wife and her nymph for a short time," Zeus said.

Hades narrowed his eyes. "Borrow my wife and do what with her?" he questioned.

Zeus rolled his eyes. "Not for _that_, have no fear. She will be returned to you in the same state you see her in now."

Gratified, Hades nodded. "Then of course, brother, but what tribute shall I receive while both my wife and her nymph are busy? You well know this is our time together and I do 'try' to wait for her to return to me each winter," Hades said, pointing out the fact that Zeus openly violated his marriage by sleeping with mortals. Not that he himself was innocent in such matters, but he at least did not do so so prolifically.

"The tribute, brother, shall be the soul of a hero if he fails. If he does not fail then it shall be the honor of granting the first power to the offspring between the hero and the princess," Zeus said, trying to repress his anger.

Hades nodded and stepped back. Zeus was granting him a high honor and usually one that he reserved for himself only. If the hero did win then he could grant their child the ability to speak with those that have passed on. It was not a common gift in the mortal world - and it would be an advantage to the child.

_Arkham_

Poison Ivy watched has a large tree broke through the ground under her and ripped her cage open. She stepped back from the opening to see a woman who looked much like Wonder Woman standing near her.

"Fear not, nymph. I have come to gain your help. I am the goddess Persephone, and I wish to have you test a hero for me," the goddess said.

"I never believed in the Greek gods before, but if you truly are Persephone then I can't ignore a request from you. Tell me what you wish of me, my lady," Poison Ivy said in a bow.

"The hero Batman has been chosen by the Greek gods for a great honor, but it comes at a price just as great. The price is a series of trial that the hero must face without any help from any of the gods. I have chosen you to be the next trial. I will not speak to you again, but I will have a muse drop ideas in the direction in which you need to go," Persephone said as she vanished.

Poison Ivy stood for moment thinking about the Batman. While it was true that Batman did not harm her babies, he did protect those that would. Still she could see him as an innocent and at times even thought about sprouting children from him. He was of good stock she could tell, and the children would be strong.

_Yes, that will be the test. I will see if the Batman's iron will can overcome my powers of seduction. If he falls then he is mine to do with as I please_, she thought as she dropped from the cell. She was caught by the tree.

"Baby, break open that wall for me," she said to the tree. It destroyed the wall and walked out. She walked toward the water and watched as the algae gathered together enough for her to stand on it. It broke loose from the bank near Arkham and began the trip toward Gotham.

_Soon, Batman, your test will begin and I will have my prize,_ she thought.

_Gotham Harbor_

The harbormaster stared at the woman who landed near the bank. She had ridden a green carpet across the water to the end of a pier. Then that carpet turned into a column and she simply stepped off onto the pier and the column dropped back to the water and seemed to separate out into nothingness.

Finally he recovered, and remembered his job. "Hey, you can't come in here without a pass or a work permit. You at least need some clothes!" The man said as he ran toward the woman with a jacket. She smiled, taking the jacket and feeling that it was made from leather and synthetic materials. She touched his cheek and kissed him. He smiled, but then grabbed his throat. He felt a huge onset of allergies and tried to fight to breathe. The girl walked close to him and touched her forehead to his.

"You gave me a coat when I needed it. I've seen no indication that you hate plants or harm them. You may live," she said has she bit her lip and kissed him again. This time a little of her blood touched his tongue and he soon was able to catch his breath.

"My lady, what is your command?" He asked.

"Are you married?" She asked.

"Yes she is the love of my life." He answered honestly.

"Go home and kiss her has I have kissed you. After that you are to forget about me and seeing me. You and your wife will only have eyes for each other until the day you die, and if there is something that you wanted to try the moment after kissing her would be the moment," she said as she walked off.

_Wayne Manor_

Alfred walked toward Bruce. The younger man was looking at pictures of Greek mythology. Alfred smiled as he placed the cup of tea next to the man he had come to consider a son.

"Brushing up on Princess Diana's home land, I see," Alfred said while turning to leave.

"I do research on all members of the Justice League," Bruce said.

"Of course, sir. Though I feel obliged to point out that you do not look at the company notes on Krypton as you are those ancient stories," Alfred pointed out as he turned the corner into the kitchen.

Bruce looked toward Alfred and knew what the old man meant. He did get distracted when it came to Diana. He would often go out of his way to ensure that she would be safe - and last night had been no different. That was when he began looking up the god of fear whom Diana had mentioned. It surprised him greatly to see that Phobos would often choose a mortal to give his powers to. While Crane developed his fear gas through science one couldn't help but wonder if Phobos had given him the inspiration. His thoughts soon turned once he saw the signal light up. Walking toward the grandfather clock he changed the hands on the dial to match the time that would never leave his mind. The clock struck several times and then moved. He walked down the stairs to the opening of the Cave.

After a few moments Bruce Wayne was no more and Batman took his place. Not for the first time, Bruce's thoughts began to revolve around the fact that he was becoming more and more like Batman - and less and less like the man his parents would have been proud of. He walked toward the computer and pulled up the police reports. Poison Ivy had broken out of Arkham again. He knew that she would eventually be able to contact her beloved 'babies' even through the red air chamber. He climbed into the Batmobile and shot off toward her last known location.

_Gotham Botanical Gardens_

Poison Ivy looked at her babies as they wrapped around her legs and arms. She smiled at them while they entertained her until Batman arrived. She had caused a few police officers to fall under her powers of seduction, but none of them could compare to the Dark Knight. She knew his willpower was stronger than any of these men. She wondered what their children would look like if she could pull him under. Her thoughts stopped when she saw him enter into the Gardens.

"Babies bring him to me, but don't harm him too much," she said to the plants.

She watched has the plants began to move toward where Batman had entered and slowly began to overflow where he stepped. She didn't notice however the back door opening and an Amazon walking into the gardens. She had no idea of knowing that Wonder Woman had learned about the escape from Arkham, but had assumed that it was Scarecrow and not Ivy.

"Batman, are you there?" Diana asked over the com system.

"Busy, Princess," came his curt reply.

"I know that someone escaped from Arkham. Is it Scarecrow?" she asked.

"No, Crane is still locked up in his padded cell. Poison Ivy has escaped. I'm tracking her right now."

His attention was on Diana again. He couldn't help the thought of her and that took his mind off of the plants. The lapse in attention was more than enough for the plants to finish wrapping around his legs and pull him to the floor. He landed hard and groaned slightly. Unknown to him one of the plants touched his com-link so Diana could hear what was happening.

"Br… Batman, where are you?" Diana shouted through the gardens.

She looked around and for a moment believed that she had seen Persephone in the distance. She shook her head, thinking that it was foolishness that Persephone would be here in the mortal world.

Persephone smiled at Diana. She loved her step-daughter, but knew that it was necessary to test the hero. That meant it was possible that her step-daughter would get her heart broken. Still, she had given the muse the information to ensure that Isley would attempt to seduce the hero. It was an old trick, but if Ulysses could withstand the temptation from Circe then this hero could withstand the attempt of seduction from her nymph.

Bruce looked at the plants as they finished dragging him to Ivy. She was suspended in the air by her babies and around her were several officers, offering their lives to her. He knew that once he was free he would need to administer the antidote to them. Then his utility belt was pulled loose. He looked at Ivy differently for the first time. She had never removed his tools before. It always seemed that she believed her 'babies' would overpower him. He watched as the plants pulled his arms out and held his head to face her.

"Batman, you may be wondering why I was so easy to find this time."

Batman didn't reply as a small knife slid out from his forearm plate and into his hand. He began to work on the plant - slowly, so that it wouldn't inform Ivy until he was ready to break loose.

"I was approached by a goddess. She informed me that you are being tested and that if I could be the one to stop you then I could keep you," Ivy said in a sultry voice.

Bruce looked at Ivy again and could feel the effects of what she was doing. He always had relied on his willpower before, but now she was going all out on him. She reached over and slid her hands down his waist until she found the separation from the chest armor. Her hand reached further down and for the first time Bruce found his will wavering.

Ivy continued trying to break his will when her 'babies' where alerted to someone else in the garden. She wanted to take it nice and slow, but knew that she may have to quicken things up a little bit. She looked at his jaw line and smiled. She had dated Harvey back before he became Two Face and he had a similar jaw line. She hated to poison Harvey, but he was passing laws that would hurt her children. Now she had the Batman and if he fell under her powers she could ensure everyone would leave her babies alone.

Batman heard Diana in the background. His resolve returned and he began slipping a hand out from vine holding his arm. The moment there was a little slack he broke his arm loose and pulled his other arm and legs loose. He fell the floor with Ivy still 'holding' on to him. He looked at the situation and pulled back from her. Ivy stood, looking surprised and almost hurt.

"Don't you find me attractive? I could give you all you want, Batman. I could give you children, happiness, and I would help you stop all of those who harm the truly innocent," she said.

"Your version of innocence is different from mine," he said, looking at her.

"No, you can't resist me! I won't let you resist me!" she shouted as her babies began to gather around her. She fell silent and then passed out before him. He watched has Diana walked close and then both witnessed Persephone walk out and touch Ivy's head.

"My nymph was meant to test you like Circe tested Ulysses," she said.

Diana looked surprised and then very upset. Her face showed a slow stirring anger that Bruce had seen very few times when she was this angry.

"You meant to have her take him?" she asked.

"Diana, you need to understand that this is necessary. We test every hero when we..." She stopped and looked at Diana hoping that she would understand where it was going. She saw Diana's face lighten considerably and then the princess looked at her step-mother.

"If you are testing Batman am I unable to help him?" she asked.

"We are restricted from helping him, but you and your fellow Amazons are able to help. Remember, Princess, that while you are able to help it is his test," Persephone said to her step-daughter.


	3. Time is on my side

**Time is on my Side (Oh Yes it is)**

_Arkham Asylum_

Victor Fries stood in his cell. The body they allowed him to use while in the Asylum was understandably weaker than his preferred cryosuit robotic body. It had only been a few years since Nora had been healed and even asked him to come back to her. He had denied her - mostly because he could no longer give her the physical attention that she would need. But also because he knew the monster he had become would not stop until it dragged her down with it. He had no reason to hate the Batman. In truth over the years the detective had become the closest thing to a friend that he had. He knew that it was Batman that convinced the Asylum to allow him to maintain Nora's cryostatis tube and work for a cure, and it was Batman that had tried to save him numerous times; even though, he often would have wished to have been left for dead.

"Time is on my side, Oh yes it is" the intercom system sprayed the lyrics to the old Rolling Stones song.

Victor listened to the song and felt pain that came from the near-dead emotions buried inside of him. Nora had loved the Rolling Stones. She would often make him jealous by saying that if Mick Jagger ever asked her to leave she would tell him when she would be back and to be prepared to bring up the child as his own. He knew that she was joking, but it made him want to put the singer in his place every time he heard any of the Stones' songs.

"Thinking of old memories?" Hades asked as he formed before Victor Fries.

"It would stand to reason, since Wonder Woman is an Amazon that her 'gods' are real; however, I am in no mood to entertain, not even for a god," Victor said as he turned and walked toward a small nightstand that held a picture of Nora.

"She has a family. At the moment there is a daughter and an infant son. She has named the son Victor, after you. She found out why you didn't return with her even if it was in your cryosuit, and to this day she still dreams of you. The truth be told you are first, her children second, and the poor sap she married will always be third," Hades said looking at Victor with cynical eyes.

"Her place is with her children. I could not give them to her in my state. She always wanted them though. At one time I did as well, but now I understand that no good could come of it," Victor said looking at the picture and then turning back to Hades. "Speak what you want. I'm a learned man, and I have read many Greek works and I know when a god appears he usually wants something. I am only thankful that I am not a woman."

"That would be more my brother Zeus than myself, but yes, I want something. I know that you bare the Batman no ill-will. He has been chosen for an honor by a majority of the gods and goddesses. For this honor he must be tested, and so far he has passed. I offer you this reward if you test him," Hades said as he pulled out a small head of a staff.

"This is Chronos' staff head. It will allow the holder to travel once into the past and change it. No mortal has ever held it, and to be offered is a great honor in itself. I offer this as a reward because I know the one thing you would do different in your past; it is the very thing that would have saved Nora much earlier and stopped the transformation into your current state." He watched Victor's eyes widen slightly.

"How would you have me test him? Am I supposed to attempt to kill him? Perhaps you have something more original in mind," Victor said as Hades smiled at him.

"You are very perceptive for a once-mortal. Yes, I have something more original, and yet it is also a very old tactic. You are to capture Wonder Woman. Do not kill her, but keep her immobile. He will come to you, and when he does, give him the option to give his life to save hers. If he attempts to stop you before agreeing or disagreeing then you are to kill him," Hades said as he disappeared from Victor's sight.

Victor began to contemplate how he could escape when he looked at the robotic body the asylum allowed him to use. It had changed since speaking with Hades. It was now a complete replica of the robotic cryosuit he used the last time he fought Batman.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Victor asked himself has he forced the cell door off its hinges and began walking down the hall.

On his way out of the building he froze the guard who was playing the Rolling Stones over the intercom system.

_Metropolis City Park_

Diana looked over the park as she leaned back in the bench. Clark had invited both she and Bruce to Metropolis for lunch. Normally she would have kindly turned down the invite, but when she heard that Bruce had agreed she decided to go. She smiled as the children in the background played. She could hear them pretending to be various members of the Justice League and heard a very good impersonation of Batman being done by a twelve year old. She began to get up and walk toward the small café Clark had told them about when a large crack formed in the street. The children backed away from their playing and watched. The pretend-Batman slowly edged closer toward the crack, sticking to the shadows.

_He's acting a little too much like his hero_, Diana thought to herself as she stood.

Sometimes she hated not having a secret identity like Clark or Bruce, but at the moment that didn't matter. She walked toward the forming crack only to feel tremendous cold coming from it. She stepped back and witnessed a piece of ice burst from the ground. She watched the ever-growing tower of ice burst through the street and into the park. The boy who pretended to be Batman showed no fear, but rushed toward his friends.

"Everyone get out of here!" he shouted toward them and pulled out a small homemade bolo set.

The boy threw the set and it was frozen before ever getting near the target. Diana looked to see what the boy had thrown it at and saw Mr. Freeze standing there holding his ice gun.

"Young man, I suggest that you depart. This is between the Amazon and myself," Freeze said as he turned toward Diana.

"What business do you have with me?" she asked.

"It is business that requires you to be bait for a test subject. I normally do not work for other parties. However, I have been promised a chance that I could not turn down." Then he fired.

Diana jumped but not completely in time. When she landed a hard clunking sound was heard. She looked down at the foot that was encased in a block of ice. She struck it and the ice shattered. She looked up to see another blast and held her arms out together. The bracelets that normally would reflect bullets instead formed a pair of ice hand cuffs. She tried to pull her arms apart only to find her legs where soon frozen as well. She looked at Freeze trying to figure out why he was stopping when it occurred that he didn't want to kill her.

"Which of my gods approached you?" she asked.

He looked at her and for a moment Diana could almost swear she saw him smile. "Hades. He promised me the use of Chronos' staff head if I were to test someone," Freeze said, forming a maze of ice around them.

Diana watched the ice maze form and was surprised that Freeze was concealing them like this. He had trapped them in Metropolis, but surely he knew that Superman would be here soon. That's when she began to hear a voice speaking lowly and only to her. She turned toward the sound and saw the god who claimed to be her father. Hades stood there looking at Diana and holding his finger toward his mouth.

"Your friend will not be here. I did nothing to him, but I did tip off an enemy of his where he would be at. At this moment he is fighting the one known as Metallo. I did not want extra help for Batman's test," Hades said, looking at his daughter.

"Why do you put him through this? Surely you know that I can break from this restraint. What is to keep me from breaking free and stopping Fries?" she asked.

"Because you know what will happen to your beloved. If you break free and stop Fries, his test is finished and he will fail. He may not receive help directly from a god or goddess. My daughter, while you are a demigoddess if you directly help him you condemn him to what he knows as hell."

Diana's heart nearly stopped at that. The gods had always played in the lives of mortals, but now they were either going to give Bruce a huge honor - or damn his soul. She felt as though her heart would break at not being able to help him. Her own honor and pride seemed wounded as well. She turned from Hades and refused to look him in the eyes.

"Was it your idea to damn his soul if he fails?" she asked.

"That was my brother's idea. You know how it works, daughter. That which Zeus commands is done."

"He would damn a decent and good man to burn for all time? Why would he do such a thing?" she demanded.

"Zeus has always tested heroes, but he grew bored of the testing. Bored enough that he has decided to allow the other gods and goddesses to join in. He called Phobos in first," Hades remarked.

"Phobos was controlling the Scarecrow?" she asked.

"It was his idea to have you sprayed in the face. He fed on your fears for some time before your beloved managed to pull you out. Do not be surprised if he attempts to do so again," Hades said before he turned and began to walk away.

"'Father' - if you care for me at all, please help him indirectly," she asked, looking at the ground.

"I already have," Hades said before he vanished.

_Near the Ice Maze_

Batman looked at the ice maze the child had told him about. The boy was dressed in a costume that looked very much like his old armor. It was obvious that the boy had handmade the costume because it seemed too well-designed to be a store-bought Halloween item. The boy had mentioned that Mr. Freeze had trapped Wonder Woman inside the maze, and that Mr. Freeze had frozen a bolo he had thrown at him.

_If Fries didn't attempt to stop the boy then it meant he wanted to be found,_ Batman thought to himself.

He searched the area for an opening and watched as a piece of ice fell away. He walked toward it and touched to find an opening. He stepped through and turned around to see the ice door form again. He began to make his way through the maze and could see two figures in the distance. The going was slow at first until he reconfigured the radar sensor in his visor. When the sensor was no longer multi-pinging off of the ice walls, he was able to get a complete layout of the maze.

He turned the last corner and saw Fries standing in front of Diana. His ice gun rose up and pointed toward the Amazon Princess. Fries watched Batman and could see the expression that lasted for only a moment in the jaw-line of the detective. He could understand and did not like resorting to such tactics, but if it would mean he could once again be with Nora then he would do whatever the gods asked.

"You have a choice, detective. A choice much like one I have been given. You may take her place or you may leave her at the mercy of this ice maze. I will give you five seconds to decide," Fries said, not once wavering or lowering his freeze gun.

"Let her down and I will take her place," Batman said sternly.

"As you wish," Fries said has he blasted Batman with the freeze gun and then walked toward Diana. He broke the ice surrounding her hands.

"I suggest that you remove yourself from this place, and quickly." Fries said before turning around and seeing the hole that had formed where Batman had been frozen.

"I do remember the high temperature batarangs, Batman," Fries said as he looked through the ice for the Dark Knight.

"Fries, you must know whatever you are being promised it will come at a price," Batman said from the shadows.

"I would gladly pay the price, and trade in my immortality to be with Nora once more," Fries said as he fired a blast of ice from his gun toward the voice. He listened and still could hear faint movement.

"Do not think that I am going to allow this to end easily. I have one chance to change things. I do not take it lightly," Fries said lowly, almost to himself.

"I know, and I am sorry for this," Batman said has he tossed the high temperature batarang.

The batarang stuck to Fries, and began to overheat his suit. The immortal Mr. Freeze soon collapsed on the ground holding the ice gun to the batarang, blasting it with below-freezing air. Batman walked closer and saw him straining to stand. Fries body may have been robotic, but his head still controlled it. Batman could see the tank surrounding Fries' head start to crack.

"Nora…" Fries said before he collapsed again.

"Who is Nora?" Diana asked as she walked close to Batman. To his surprise she did not leave, but she also did not help him either. That meant that it was another test and she was being forced not to help him.

"She was his wife. The entire reason he became Mr. Freeze, the reason for everything that happened to him is because he loved his wife," Batman said looking at Fries. He picked the once-celebrated bioengineer up and dragged him out of the ice maze which was starting to melt.

"What happened exactly?" she asked.

"I suggest that you view the archives at the Watchtower. Fries had never been a true criminal or enemy until he could no longer be with Nora. I just wonder if what he was promised will still be delivered to him," Batman said as he propped Fries up against a street-light and tied him to it.

_Mount Olympus_

Hades watched as Batman finished securing Fries and left with Diana. Personally he felt indifferent about the mortal, but he found him a better suit for his daughter than the one known as Superman. Still, he would never admit to it. He turned to see Zeus stand and stretch his legs.

"What did you promise the immortal. Hades?" Zeus asked.

"I promised him one attempt to change his past," Hades answered.

"The head staff of old Chronos, was it? I am surprised that you were willing to give something so dangerous to someone who had once been a mortal," Zeus said, looking at his younger brother.

"What do you mean 'were'? I still plan on giving it to him," Hades said, looking at Zeus with a narrowed gaze.

"Not without some kind of tribute," Zeus stated.

"What do you want, brother?" Hades asked.

"The mortal Lois Lane - she is attractive," Zeus remarked.

"Her heart belongs to the one known as Clark Kent. To do what you are suggesting will cause a great deal of harm," Hades stated plainly.

"I do not care. Ensure that she is alone and I will appear as her love. Once I do I shall taste what she has to offer and then leave," Zeus stated plainly.

"And what if you give her a child? Hippolyta is still angry over your son Heracles. You know how she would feel if there was another of him roaming the mortal world," Hades replied.

"Again, I do not care," Zeus stated, this time quite sternly.

Hades nodded and then turned to the pool. He waited for the one known as both Superman and Clark Kent to return to the Watchtower. Once he was gone he turned to Zeus.

"My lord, while I can't command I do suggest that now would be the time to leave," Hades stated.

_Metropolis - Lois and Clark's apartment_

Lois looked at the computer screen in front of her. Clark had left because of another emergency. She wasn't bitter about it, but for God's sake she wanted some attention. She and Clark had barely been together for two months and in that time he had only been able to stay long enough to make love three times. She began to wonder if she should break out her 'back' massager 'old reliable' when she heard a knock at the door. She turned in the swivel chair and walked over to answer it. She looked through the peep hole and saw Clark standing out in the door way.

"What happened to your key?" she asked sweetly.

Normally she would have teased him and remarked that the man with X-ray vision still couldn't keep his keys, but right now she hoped that he wasn't too tired and would instead allow her to worship him in the way she intended.

"I think that it fell out of my pocket on the way over. I'll have the locks changed tomorrow," he said looking at her.

She was about to say something when his hands found her back and pulled her close. They kissed and stepped into the living room leaving the door wide open. She wanted to say something, but Clark had never been this intent on making love before. She felt her clothes tear into pieces as if she was a present being opened on Christmas morning. Within moments he was joining her in the most natural state a human being could be in. Their bodies met and for the briefest and perhaps in a way the longest time they were joined as one. She felt completely assured that this was the way it was meant to be.

Zeus smiled inwardly. He meant the mortal woman no ill-will, but by all of his power he meant to have her. She was going to surrender herself to him and bow to his will. He may have taken the form of this mortal, but she must have known that it was not him. No, he was using her the way he had used thousands of mortal women through the ages. He felt himself building to a release and decided to show Hades for his remark. His hand touched her side and she released her half of a new being that even now was going to be formed. He rose up and changed before her. He watched her eyes widen in disgust and horror. Strange. He had never seen a mortal woman react such a way.

"Fear not, mortal. I have chosen you to be a mother to one of my many children. Like his brother Heracles he will be a great warrior. I may come visit you again," Zeus said has he begun to walk out of the room. He turned his head back toward her when he began to hear sobs and crying.

"Why would a mortal woman feel this way?" he wondered as he disappeared from sight.

_2 days later in a small café in Gotham_

"Bruce, I'm sorry to bother you with this," Lois said as she touched his hand.

"This is another reason why I question the morality of Diana's gods. Don't get me wrong Diana herself is a wonderful woman and near flawless, but for someone to resort to something so near to…" Bruce stopped, knowing that mentioning what had happened back to Lois was not the comfort she needed.

"I've wanted to tell Clark. God, I have wanted to tell him, but I don't know how he will react. I didn't mean for it to happen. I honestly believed it was him. He smelled like Clark and even had the same mannerisms that Clark has. I would never cheat on him, but now…now I am carrying that bastard's child! Do you know how horrible that makes me feel? I can't hide it forever, and I know that when Clark finds out he will want to believe that it is his," she said as another round of sobs begun.

"Lois, I know that it won't help much, but I can talk to Diana for you. I am certain that she could request a meeting with Hera," Bruce stated.

"What would that bastard's wife be able to do? He's the head honcho there remember? I've actually been to church for the first time in a long time. I thought that maybe God, the one that all good little Catholics worship would be able to change this, but I haven't received any kind of answer or anything," she said, nearly breaking down into tears.

Bruce balled his fists and tried to remain calm for Lois. He knew that she was going through something terrible and didn't want to intrude too much. He wished that Diana was here. Not only did he miss his Princess, but she would have an answer for the stressed out newly married Mrs. Kent.

"Lois, Bruce, how are you both doing?" a familiar voice asked.

They looked up to see Diana walking into the café and coming toward them. "May I sit down?" she asked.

Lois hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Diana tried to read what was going on, but she drew a blank. She knew that Bruce didn't like League members to enter 'his' city unannounced, but she had decided to visit some of the local clothing stores. Besides, she had hoped to drop in on Bruce and see how he was doing. Ever since he began his test he had barely let her get out of his sight. She knew that he trusted her, but she understood that he also feared for her safety.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked Lois.

Lois broke out into tears and relayed the entire mess to Diana sat and listened. Bruce was surprised at how calm Diana was being until he noticed that she had left deep imprints in the table once she relaxed her hand.

"I see. Lois, if you wish I can request an audience to Hera about this," she said.

"Like I asked Bruce, what could she do?" Lois asked.

"You would be surprised at the hell she can put Zeus through. She has been known to trick him into taking on mortality for several years once. During that time she allowed every enemy of Heracles to find him and attack him. Of course that was because he had slept with a willing mortal. As he actually tricked you into sleeping with him she would do much, much worse," Diana answered.

"Do it. And if possible, I want to be there when you do it," Lois replied.


	4. Beast of Burden

**Beast of Burden**

_12 hours after the meeting in the Gotham café_

Diana stepped from her jet and looked at Lois, pleased to see the other woman showing the utmost respect to Themyscira and her sisters. Diana watched the various guards walking close to both her and Lois, and she was surprised that Lois didn't drop her gaze. If nothing else, Amazons respected courage and determination. She knew that her sisters could tell Lois had both.

Hippolyta looked at her daughter and the woman from Man's World. She was about to say something about a stranger being on Themyscira when she felt the lingering essence of Zeus. She closed her eyes and uttered a silent curse.

"Mother, I have come to plead an audience with Hera. She needs to know what her husband has done."

"I feel that Zeus has once again returned to the mortal world. If she is with you then it also means that she was not willing," Hippolyta stated.

Lois spoke. "I was not willing. He tricked me. Your Majesty, I've read much Greek history, enough to know what Heracles did to you and to the Amazons here."

Lois noticed that Hippolya's expression changed drastically. Lois knelt down and lowered her head in a sign of respect and continued.

"Zeus continued in his son's tactics. Unlike Heracles, Zeus changed his form. He took the form of my husband. He came to me and took me for his own. I fell into the trap because my senses betrayed me into thinking that it was my husband. I gave myself willingly until he changed back into his true form. I don't know what Hera can do to him, but I ask you, please allow Diana to contact her on my behalf."

Hippolyta walked toward Lois and brought her up. She touched Lois's face and a small grin formed.

"I shall do better. Both of you follow me into the temple," she said. Once inside the temple, Hippolyta knelt and beseeched Hera. The goddess appeared. She looked at both Hippolyta and Diana before she noticed the mortal woman standing in their midst.

"Why is there a mortal here, Hippolyta?" Hera asked.

"Hera, please listen to what this mortal woman has to say. It concerns your husband," Hippolyta said.

Lois stepped forward and relayed the entire story to Hera. The goddess walked next to Lois and had her step away from both Diana and Hippolyta.

"It is not a usual thing to see a mortal woman disgusted with what my husband does. I feel anger, but not at you. To spare you pain, I wish it was within my power, but I cannot take the child from your womb. It grows even now. All I can do is ensure that it will be a girl," she said gently. "I ask that you allow Diana to train her. I will bestow great powers to her. That in itself will greatly upset my husband, but it is not enough. Zeus needs to learn the error of his ways." She watched Lois's eyes harden in anger once more. "In three days' time I will convince him to travel to the mortal world and leave most of his power behind. Once there your husband will have the chance to teach my husband some manners. I suggest that he takes full advantage of it." Hera smiled, before they rejoined Hippolyta and Diana.

"She shall have a daughter. Diana, it will be your reasonability to train the child in the Amazon arts. When she is old enough to decide she may come here or stay in the mortal world. That is all I can do." Without another word, she turned and disappeared.

"What else did she say?" Diana asked.

"She is going to convince Zeus to leave Olympus and leave most of his powers there. When he arrives on earth she asked if Clark would be there to teach him a lesson," Lois answered.

Diana smiled and realized exactly what Hera had in mind. A good thrashing from Superman would ensure Zeus would not attempt such a disgusting thing again.

_Arkham Asylum_

Mr. Freeze stood in his cell when Hades once again appeared. He carried the staff head to Fries and presented it to him.

"Understand that if you do this a payment will be needed. I will not promise that things will be any better," Hades said.

Fries nodded and took the staff head. He held it and the entire room seemed to morph around them. Within seconds Hades stood facing Mrs. Fries. Nora Fries looked at her body which was the same she as she could remember. She looked at Hades with a questioning look.

"It didn't work. Victor changed jobs to Wayne Enterprises and managed to save me. He then contracted a neurological condition that made my illness pale in comparison. I placed him in Cryostats and the effect was broken by Dagget when he tried to steal the technology that Victor had created. Victor is still dead and I am still like this!" Nora shouted at Hades.

"It worked then," Hades said has he begun to turn.

"Didn't you listen?! Victor is dead!" she shouted again.

Hades looked at her and touched her forehead. The entire experience that Victor had lived through everything he had done for her passed through her head. She fell to her knees and would have cried if the tears where not all frozen.

"Please undo it," she said.

"I promised your husband that he could change things. He had a few years with you and the both of you had a child together, correct?" Hades asked.

"It's not fair. Please I will do anything if you change it back. I would rather have him alive than live with the knowledge that he gave his life to just have a little more time with me," Nora said.

"Very well I will change things back, but with one difference. You will remember what happened. You will live every day with the understanding that your love is becoming more and more like the ice that ensures his survival. That is unless you are willing to do something about it."

"What can I do?" she cried.

"Find Wonder Woman and ask her about the healing waters on Themyscira. It may help your former husband to become whole once more," Hades said before he turned and left. The room once again warped in and out. Victor Fries stood in his cell and knew what Nora had done. She had traded their short life together to save him. He loved her, but now he wondered what would happen.

_Gotham City_

Batman stood in the Batcave. His eyes studied the history of Themyscira as Diana had told him. He tried to search for the history of heroes being tested. Each time he came across the tests it always was nearly skipped over. He finally decided that the gods had decided that no hero would know what to expect. His mind stopped thinking about what was happening, and instead he began thinking about Diana. He sat down in the chair. His face softened as he thought of her. He knew that Diana understood how he felt, but he also knew that if he accepted this it would eventually harm her. He didn't want to believe it, but the proof stood. Crane could hurt her, so could Ivy and Freeze. And if they could harm her then it was no doubt that Joker could.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I will not allow you to be harmed," he said to himself.

Unknown to him the goddess of love, Aphrodite, stood watching. She finally could no longer contain herself and walked toward him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and watched has he turned around.

"You shouldn't try to make her mind up for her," Aphrodite said to him.

"I don't want to be the reason she is killed," he replied, looking at the goddess before him. He saw she was beautiful, but somehow her beauty paled compared to Diana's.

"That you see her has more beautiful only shows how much you care. Do not lock your heart away. It would discredit your parents to do so. And yes, I knew them. I had a hand in their meeting after all. I only wish that I could have stopped their deaths, but it was Phobos who set it in motion." She said

Bruce felt anger toward the God of fear. He not only had caused Diana to suffer a great deal, but now he was responsible for the death of his parents which had caused him no end of anguish for so long.

_Metropolis - the Kents' apartment_.

Lois sat on the bed and relayed what happened again, and she hoped for the last time. Unlike the other times, she was terrified that the person listening now would hate her for what happened. She feared more than anything that he would leave her and never return. Her heart felt near-breaking has she explained everything Zeus had done to her. She finally summoned the courage to glance at the listener. She looked into the eyes of Clark Kent as he touched her hand and then pulled her into an embrace.

She felt the tears welling up again. This time it wasn't over the pain of being used, but it was over the joy that her husband didn't leave.

"You said that Hera was going to convince him to come to the mortal world?" he asked.

"Yes… She said that it would be in three days and that was yesterday," she said.

"Tomorrow. Then I'm going to be gone for a while. When I get home it will be me. Lois, I won't force you to do anything, but I want you to know that I will always love you," he said as he kissed her.

She pulled him close and held him. "Clark, beat his ass."

_Smallville, Kansas_

Zeus wondered why Hera convinced him to come here. This country was beautiful, but it was not his ideal location. He would have chose to visit Rome or perhaps what remained of Athens. He turned when a sudden stream of air hit him.

He turned to see Superman standing before him.

The Man of Steel threw the first punch.


	5. Under my thumb

"Under my Thumb"

(Smallvillie Kansas)

Clark looked at the deity now lying in a lump at his feet. Zeus may have been only been at a tenth of his power, but he still managed to fight back quite well. The difference between him winning and Zeus loosing wasn't anything more than the fact that he was angrier at Zeus than he had ever been in his life. He had a fixation on defeating Darksied, he remained angry at Doomsday for his actions, but neither of his enemies had ever actually came in and tried to destroy his home. He wanted more than anything to end the life of the deity lying before him, but somehow he knew if he did it would be selfish. He thought of what his human father had told him once.

"Clark there is going to be times that people are going to do things you won't agree with. In fact there will be times that you will believe that dying is better than they deserve, but that's not going to be your choice. You have to remember that everyone has a chance to live and change." The memory of Jonathan Kent seemed to say to him.

"Alright pa I will make sure that he gets his chance." Clark thought to himself as he lifted the unconscious body of Zeus on his shoulders.

He walked a little ways toward the farm house when a loud chirping sound came from around them. Clark looked curiously toward the sound and stopped in his tracks. He tried to move and found himself unable. He looked ahead and saw Eris materialize before him.

"I see that lord Zeus finally got what he deserved. Personally while I revel in discord I did not condone what he did to your wife." Eris said as she touched her father's head and then smiled.

"Why are you here?" Clark asked his face showing he was in no mood to speak to any deity at the moment.

"I have actually come to give you something. Being that I drink in the discord and it tasted bitter I decided to make it up by telling you a little about the future of your 'step' daughter. She will be a great hero in her own right. She will proudly wear your colors and stand for what her father believed in. I do say believed because the actions you did today are going to come back and haunt you. But it is not your 'step' daughter you have to worry about. It is her son. He will be more like Zeus and Hercules than anyone could have predicted. It is through his selfish actions that the very Justice League will be defeated and the immortal Vandal Savage will come to power. Savage will bring order to the world, but at a high price. He will use your 'step' grandson to bring down the Amazons. Of course your 'step' grandson will rape several has was done by his true grandfather and great uncle." Eris said as she stepped back from Clark.

"What can I do to prevent this?" he asked.

"Come to Mt. Olympus alone. Once there you are to see me and no one else. I will do everything in my power to prevent this from happening, but it will cost you dearly." She said.

"What is the price?" he asked.

"I want a son. You will help in the act or I will not interfere with the future." Eris said with a smirk.

"I will not betray my wife." He said.

"Did she not betray you? Surely she could tell even on some unconscious level that it was not you who took her. Before you decide too quickly I suggest that you think about it. Discuss it with your wife if you choose." She said and then disappeared with her father.

(Gotham Arkham Asylum)

Joker looked at the wall of his newest cell. The idiots here decided to place him in a padded cell and remove anything that could be used as a weapon. He smirked as he ripped the padding and pulled out the wire used to bind the padding to the walls.

"No weapons at all they said." He smirked at the words from the guards and quickly went to work on the door.

(2 hours later)

Having escaped once again and this releasing Harley the Joker fell into a laughing fit when he looked up to see a half naked man in a tunic.

"Is there a costume party that I'm missing?" He asked pointing his finger at the unknown man.

"I am Apollo the God of the sun." Apollo answered looking at the Joker with a questioning look.

"Look right back that way is Arkham Asylum. Once there be sure to tell them that little jewel and they will let you right in." Joker said as he stepped forward and toward one of the warehouses where he and Harley would often go to.

"I am not lying." Apollo said becoming angry at being dismissed so easily by a mortal.

"Yeah, sure you aren't. You know buddy I know a thing or two about jokes and this is losing its laughter appeal. I suggest that you quit while you're ahead." Joker said as he continued to walk away.

The next thing that Joker felt was the very ground shake under him and a bright light shining from behind him. The man who claimed to be a god walked around in the front of Joker. His form had changed into a more god like appearance.

"I was going to offer you a chance at testing a hero for us, but now I believe that I shall smite you and be done with it." Apollo said as he raised his hand toward the Joker.

Apollo didn't hear the sound behind him and soon felt the full force of a rocket launcher hitting him square in the back. He turned to see Harley Quinn petting the still smoking launcher.

"Mama's little helper!" she said as she rushed over toward the Joker and grab his hand.

"What hero?" Joker asked.

"The Batman needs to be tested to see if he is worthy of a gift. You are not worthy to test him." Apollo said before he disappeared.

"No one tells me that I'm not worthy! Batman is mine do you hear me? He is mine to test and mine to break!" Joker screamed into the night.

(The Watchtower)

Diana finished sparing with Bruce. She looked at him and tried to remind herself of what he had told her so often. She wanted to bring him the happiness that he so richly deserved, but she also knew that he would push her away. She began to move off when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see the face, the very real face of Bruce Wayne. She had been around him enough to know when he posing as the playboy or when he was being the Bat. This was what was left of the man who had been the eight year old.

"I was approached by Aphrodite." Batman said as he looked at her.

"What? Why would she approach you directly?" She asked.

"She was my next test apparently. She tried to persuade me to forget about being Batman and devote my life to her and to another." He answered.

Diana could hear the sound of the Bat fighting back for dominance. She knew that soon it would be Batman speaking and no longer Bruce Wayne. She touched his shoulder and looked into the blue eyes that had caught her attention so long ago. She moved and too quickly and she cursed herself for it. She felt their lips touch, his hands reaching for her. She accepted the embrace, but then suddenly he stepped away. The cowl came up and Bruce completely disappeared.

"Princess we can't do this." He said

"Bruce yes we can. Hera, I want you. I've wanted you for a very long time. I know that you feel the same. Why do we keep denying ourselves?" She asked.

"Princess if I was able to protect you from my enemies I would, but you know as well as I do that eventually one of them would get to you. The experience with Scarecrow showed this to be true." He said

"Bruce I would face Phobos incarnate again. I would face any of those that call themselves your enemy to be with you. I'm not a defenseless little girl." She said looking at him.

"I know that, but it's not just my enemies I am worried about. I've also been thinking about the 'king' of the Gods. You saw what he did to Lois. What is to stop him from trying the same thing on you?" He asked.

Diana stopped for a second. It had never occurred to her that Zeus may try to have her again. It would be easy enough for him to take Bruce's form. Once he did it would only be a matter of time until he had what he wanted. She looked at Bruce in the eyes and decided to answer the only way she could.

"No matter what would happen Bruce I would love you and only you. If Zeus tried, and even if he managed to succeed I would not stop loving you. I would go after him and demand that give me Chronos' staff head, but I would not ever stop loving you." She said

She expected him to leave. She expected to see him walk out and repeat the same reasons they couldn't be together again. She never expected to feel his embrace or to feel his hands glide down her back. She welcomed the gesture and returned it tenfold.

(Six hours later)

Diana looked at Bruce as they lay on the floor of the training room. She would have preferred a bed for the first time, but she didn't argue. She felt the beating of his heart as he slept and wondered if she could make the nightmares go away.

(In Bruce's Dream)

Bruce looked at the alley way his parents were walking down. He wanted to warn them, but it wouldn't matter the dream was always the same. Almost like clockwork Joe Chill stepped from behind the corner.

"Give me your wallet and Lady's Pearls. Do it quickly and no one will get hurt." He said.

"Don't believe him." Bruce said quietly.

"What's that? More pearls being covered up?" The thief said as he grabbed Martha's shirt and ripped it. The shirt fell open to reveal pearls and her bra. Martha covered herself and stepped back.

Thomas raised his umbrella and struck the thief. Joe Chill turned to him and fired. He then fired another shot at Martha and killed her. He looked at the eight year old Bruce Wayne and raised the barrel of the gun.

"Tell me kid, you ever dance with the Devil in the pale moon light?" He asked has he pulled the hammer back on the revolver.

He stopped when he heard the sounds of police men running in that direction.

"See you around kid." He said as he disappeared into the distance.

Bruce awoke with a start and could see Joe Chill's face. His breathing was erratic and strained. He didn't notice the Amazon Princess lying next to him with a concerned look on her face.

"What's wrong Bruce?" She asked.

He shook his head and got up. She looked at him has he got dressed and then extended his hand. She got up after him and tried to hug him. He returned the hug, but he seemed distant. She tried to feel what was going on, but then it came to her. The nightmares were still there. She looked at him softly and kissed him.

"Bruce, I don't know if I can ever make the nightmares stop, but I am willing to try." She said.

"I hate the nightmares, but they remind me of why I do this. I just wish…" He said trailing off and feeling guilt pour over him.

"Whatever it is I can assure you that it's not your fault." She said.

"I told her to wear the pearls. I thought that they were beautiful and she did for me. They are dead because of my actions, my choices." He said looking away in shame.

"Bruce believe me it is not your fault." She said as she held him. Finally she let him go and grabbed her clothes. She looked at him and silently prayed that Aphrodite help her make him happy.

"Diana, I'm not good at expressing myself when it comes to feelings of love or much anything else. I want you to come and stay at the manor with me. But understand that I am not the easiest person in the world to get along with." He said as he turned and walked out of the room.

(Mt. Olympus)

Hera looked over Zeus who was still reeling from the beating he received. She knew that once he awoke he would no longer care about the testing of Batman. His attention would turn toward the mortal Superman. She shook her head and hoped that the mortal would be able to handle the trials her husband would set upon him. She looked at the pool and saw Batman leave. He had passed Aphrodite's test and now he had passed another one she sat up. The test to see if he could be more than a slave to his own beliefs was perhaps one of the hardest to face. Apollo had attempted to set up a test with the Joker, but decided that the enemy of Batman was unworthy of being part of the test.

She heard Eris and knew what had transpired between her daughter and the mortal known to the world as Superman.

"He will not do what you ask." Hera said.

"I know, and it is going to be so much fun to watch the fireworks." Eris said has she lounged on the steps near the pool.

"How would have protected him anyway?" Hera asked.

"I would protect him with a charm that I would place on him and his family." She said.

"What charm would that be?" Hera asked.

"The very one that I placed on Hercules after he managed to beat me at my own game. Of course I did remove that charm when I was told by you to do so." She said

"Then the protection was false. Your father could order you to remove it at any time." She said

"I never said that I would protect him forever. I only said that I could." Eris said with an evil grin.

"Telling him about the future was not a good idea either. Mortals do not need to know what will happen. It causes paranoia and anguish." Hera stated plainly

"That's exactly why I told him about it." She said while twirling a golden lock of hair on her head.

(Two weeks later on the Watchtower)

She looked around the corner and smiled to herself. It had been too easy to cast a spell and get access to the satellite. Smiling she followed the scent of the daughter of Hippolyta. She soon found the room she once stayed in, but now it was long since empty. Growling she searched around the room and found almost nothing at all that was until she picked up a new scent in the room. The smell was that of Hippolyta's daughter, but it was also of the Batman. She smiled to herself once again. The Princess had finally won the heart of the Bat. A plan formed in her head and Circe smiled evilly.

She walked toward the closet of the small room and found a single black dress. She reached out and touched it. Slowly she chanted and within a few moments she had become Diana's double. She shrugged the clothes she had off her back and looked in the mirror.

"Hmmmm. Perhaps I should keep this look. The princess is better endowed than I am." Circe said to herself as she reached for the dress and put it on.

"Sometimes the oldest tricks are the best ones." She said as she left and walked toward the transporter.

"Wondy what are you doing here? I thought that you where hanging out at Wayne Manor." The flash said.

"I had to get some things. Would you mind transporting me down?" She asked.

"Sure, that's not a problem. Say what's he like outside of this anyway?" Flash asked.

"He's much better than anyone expects him to be." Circe said while cocking an eyebrow.

"Why do I care about the Bat?" She wondered to herself as she materialized on the front lawn of the Manor.

She walked inside and looked around at the manor with interest. It seemed like a nice enough house and worthy of someone of her stature. She didn't know who this Wayne person was, but assumed that he shared his house with the Princess out of respect. Turning a corner she caught view of the Princess and stepped forward.

Diana looked at what had to be a mirror image. At first she wondered if Persephone had come to visit until she caught the smell. She could smell the strong black magic practically pouring off of the woman.

"Circe what are you doing here?!" She asked as she prepared to defend herself.

"Why little Princess I plan on taking your place with the Bat. I will appeal to him in your guise and once he has been with me I will have control over him. You do remember dear Odysseus don't you? He managed to see though my little act, but I have perfected it since then. Once your love has tasted my fruits and I receive his I will have complete control of him." She said looking at Diana before she stretched out her hand and caused a bright light to cover Diana.

Diana blinked and jumped toward Circe. She felt herself pass through the woman and then through the wall behind her.

"Princess, that spell has cast you into what the mortals call the astral plane. If there are spirits in this house you should see them in person." Circe said with a laugh.

Diana screamed and ran toward the kitchen. She prayed that Alfred would be able to see her. She touched the elder Englishman but her hand passed through him. He turned for a moment and then looked away. She would not accept defeat so easily and tried again. Again Alfred looked toward her and then looked away. She cursed to herself and then felt a hand touch her back. She turned to see the woman who hung in the painting that Bruce would sometimes set near.

"He won't notice you." She said.

"You are you… Are you Bruce's mother?" She asked.

"Yes, both I and Thomas stay here. We can't move on until Bruce finally forgives himself for what happened to us. That is why we were delighted to have you be with him. Although seeing your only child engage in sexual acts on a nightly bases tends to wear on one's nerves." She said looking at Diana.

The Amazonian Princess blushed slightly at the words and took a mental note that even in private they could be watched.

"I suggest that you find the friend Bruce has mentioned. The one he dated briefly before leaving her and her father. I believe she works with all of you." Martha Wayne said has she smiled.

"Zatanna, why didn't I think of her? Thank you so much for helping me." Diana said.

"Of course I am helping you. What kind of mother in law would I be if I didn't, and please after all that you and Bruce have done don't let him not marry you. Thomas and I believe strongly in marriage." Martha said as she headed toward where Circe was at.

"What are you going to do?" Diana asked.

"Thomas and I have been known to make noise and cause those who would hurt Bruce to leave. We are going to try the same with that witch, but please do hurry. I don't know how long we are going to be able to frighten her." Martha said as she passed through a wall toward the room Circe was standing in.


	6. I can't get no Satisfaction

(I can't get no) Satisfaction

(Watchtower Zatanna's room)

Diana walked toward the female magic user. She hoped that Zatanna would be able to sense her being here. She stretched her hand out toward the other woman and felt the thick aura of magic surrounding her.

"Diana what happened to you? I can tell that you're not dead, but why are you in the Earth bound spirit realm?" Zatanna asked.

"You can sense me?" Diana asked.

"Of course I can sense you, and I can hear you. I can tell that there has been a spell cast on you. Do you know who did it?" She asked

"Circe, Circe cursed me with this form. She's going to try to steal Bruce away from me. Hera, I've spent so long trying to reach him and now that… That bitch is going to take over his mind!" Diana shouted the last part. She sat on the bed trying to keep from sinking though it. She felt the material of the bed hardening under her and looked to see Zatanna chanting something.

"That is the best that I can do for now Diana. The spell will keep you in the physical world for twenty-four hours. During that time you need to get Circe to drop her curse on you." Zatanna said looking at her friend.

"Thank you Zatanna and I will be sure to make her drop the curse." Diana said as she headed toward the teleportation room.

(Wayne Manor)

Bruce finally got in from the patrol. He made his way to the Bat computer and sat down. His hand rested on the wound he received from a lucky mugger. His finger found the tip of the wound found the blood to be flowing a little easier than he expected. He pressed the intercom system and called for Alfred.

"Master Bruce I am delighted to see that you made it home." Alfred said as he brought down the first aid kit.

"Alfred I think that we may to access the blood bank." Bruce said before he collapsed to the floor.

Alfred ran to his side and pulled him over to the table. He struggled and lifted the man he had come to consider a son to the top of the table. Standing back he opened the body armor and looked at the knife blade still stuck in Bruce's side. Alfred's blood began to run cold as he studied the blade. Master Bruce did not know about the first attempt on his parent's life. The person, who tried to kill them, also had formed and led the secret society of murderers and cutthroats known as the league of shadows. Alfred looked at the blade of the very knife that man had held to Madam Martha Wayne's throat so long ago. He began working on Bruce while the computer checked the neurotoxin that covered the blade.

"Bruce, don't give up on me." Alfred said as he stitched Bruce up and then began a blood transfusion.

The older Englishman touched the communicator that Bruce carried with him and hoped that the man he considered a son would understand and forgive him for this.

"Watchtower lock on the communicator and beam two up directly to the med unit." Alfred said.

J'onn looked at Batman as he lay on the table. Alfred had already run a transfusion with cloned blood, but it was obvious that Bruce was in more trouble than blood loss.

"What happened?" J'onn asked.

"Master Bruce mentioned an attack from a mugger, but I recognized the weapon that was used. It belonged to a secret society that Master Thomas Wayne used his connections with the state and federal government to put out of business. I believe that they know exactly what Master Bruce does at night." Alfred said looking at the Martian.

"This secret society would they want revenge on Thomas through Bruce?" J'onn asked.

"Yes, I have no doubts on that. The man that led them was known as Aurthur Penn. Mr. Penn claimed to be a direct heir of Alexander the Great. He attempted to gain Master Wayne's aid in funding the society. When Master Wayne refused his offer Aurthur Penn decided to gain the funds by threatening the life of Madam Wayne." Alfred said looking at J'onn.

"I sense a great distress inside of his mind." J'onn said.

"The neurotoxin is attacking his mind first. I don't know nearly as much as Master Thomas Wayne about it, but from what I remember it makes you relive your worse memory over and over until your mind breaks. When it finally breaks the toxin spreads and kills off every one of your nerves. Master Thomas found a cure once, but since his death so much of the notes and files he kept have been lost to time." Alfred said looking at the Martian.

(Wayne Manor)

Circe looked at the wall again after hearing the books rise and fall. She knew that it wasn't the princess. No Diana would be seeking help and coming to get her. This was something different and from what she could tell it was souls trapped in this house.

"You might as well drop the act. I know that you are here and that you want me to leave. I won't leave until I break Diana." Circe said. She turned when the front doors of the Manor came off of their hinges.

"Princess I am surprised to see that one of your magic users could counter acts my curse. Then again she really didn't counter act it did she?" Circe asked as she shot a blast of magical energy toward Diana.

The Amazonian Princess jumped out of the way and threw the lasso of truth toward Circe. The witch moved, but not fast enough. She struggled against the bonds of the lasso, but soon she dropped her arms.

"Fine Princess you have me. I will drop the curse, but first tell me do you really love him this much? After all not only is he a man he is a mortal. They are a dime a dozen." Circe said before removing the curse on Diana.

"Why did you drop the curse so easily?" Diana asked.

"You have to ask? I guess that brains are not what he sees in you. I was to keep you busy while your love faced his next test. This test is one that will either break him or give him the honor the Gods intended. It is a shame however that your child will have to grow up without a father." Circe said looking at her.

Diana's normal confident expression wavered when she hear Circe's remark. Something was going to happen to Bruce and she had been tricked into chasing after Circe. She walked up to witch and slapped her.

"Tell me what is happening to him!" She shouted.

"Ever heard of please princess? He has been attacked by an old enemy of his father's known as Aurthur Penn. The enemy has been promised a return to power if Batman fails. Personally I hate to see such a mortal with breeding potential go to waste, but what Zeus wills. And so that you what the reward is come closer." Circe said.

Diana walked nearer to Circe keeping a tight hand on the lasso.

"He is to be reborn as a titian. Zeus and Hera will wipe his memory clean and place in charge of protecting the mortal world. Your love will become the newest guardian 'angel' of the Gods." Circe said as she laughed.

"Hera no, please no they can't take him from me when we've finally found each other." Diana said stepping back from Circe.

The witch watched Diana and managed to wiggle free from the lasso. She transformed back into her normal form and disappeared. Diana looked toward the Watchtower and touched her communicator.

"J'onn is Bruce there?" She asked.

"Diana I suggest that you come here quickly." J'onn said through the communicator.

She felt herself dematerialize and then stood before a very wounded Batman. Alfred stood there looking at the man he had managed to stabilize, but not pull out of the toxin induced comma he was now in.

"J'onn can he hear us?" She asked.

"Diana at the moment he is living through the worse memory he has. It is slowly breaking down his spirit and will continue to do so until he dies. Alfred spoke of a cure, but because of the death of Dr. Wayne the cure has been forgotten and lost somewhere inside of the manor." J'onn said looking at her.

"Transport me down to the manor this moment. I will tear it apart to find that cure." Diana said.

"That could take hours, we don't have that time." J'onn said holding a cold rag to Bruce's forehead.

"Thomas and Martha are still in the house. The spell Circe cast on me put me into the astral plane. If I could return to the manor and ask him maybe he could tell me where it is." Diana said.

"Diana if what you say is true he would know, but I don't know anyone who could speak to the dead without a similar experience." Alfred said looking at her.

"Zatanna, J'onn contact her and tell her to meet me in the transporter room.

(Mt. Olympus)

Zeus finally stood after sulking for so long. His pride had been wounded by the beating he received from the mortal Clark Kent. He wanted to show the mortal the error of his ways and make the mortal's woman a standing member of his harem for all time. That would show the mortal who he was messing with. His plans where stopped when he looked at Phobos who had once again tested the hero known as Batman. This time Phobos had went further than he planned. He had wanted to drag the testing out over several years, but Phobos had shot past it and took him directly to the last test.

"Lord Zeus it should please you to know that the hero is not breaking. Within the hour he will be ready to receive the prize we have to offer him." Phobos said.

Zeus stopped thinking about Superman for a moment and thought again of Batman. The entire ordeal had been another attempt to get to Diana. He knew that the Princess would trade anything to save her love, and he would collect by having her grant him a son.

"Good Phobos continue the testing and inform me when he is ready." Zeus said as he turned away.

(Wayne Manor)

Diana stood with Zatanna while she placed a special board down in the room that Bruce had kept closed most of the time. The place was Thomas' study and the strongest place with his aura. She chanted and watched as the board lit up and then standing before them was Thomas Wayne. Diana was surprised at how much Bruce looked like his father.

"Hello Diana it is good to see you face to face." Thomas said looking at the woman who he hoped would finally bring his son some happiness.

"It is good to see you too. Thomas Bruce is in trouble. Someone named Aurthur Penn has used a toxin on him." Diana said being direct and hoping at the same time that Thomas would understand.

"Penn! I drove that nutcase out of Gotham years ago! If he poisoned Bruce then you don't have much time. The formula for the antidote is in my medical book. It is right below the painting of Martha and me. Take it too him and please take care of him." Thomas said as the board began to fade and he soon too disappeared.

Diana ran over to the mantle and felt along the edge of it. She found a rough feeling book and brought it down. The book felt old and brittle. Diana tried hard not to let it come apart in her hands and called for teleportation. Both women walked into the med lab and J'onn took the book. He opened the front and a piece of paper with a formula fell out. He touched the small fragment of paper and watched as it slowly began to crumble in his fingers. Diana watched as the cure turned into little more than dust. She felt her knees fallout from under her.

"No, Bruce no please don't leave me." She said as the world seemed to get darker. J'onn reached over to the note pad and began writing down what he saw of the formula.

"Diana I believe that I can use what I have seen of the formula. I will test it against the toxin and go from there. I believe that Bruce has the will to fight, but he may need a person here as a guide." J'onn said as he walked over toward the lab with the formula and blood sample.

(Metropolis Lois and Clark's apartment.)

Lois held onto Clark as he lay there next to her in their bed. She had apologized and made love to him several times since they woke up. He tried to tell her that there was nothing to apologize for, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. Now after several hours of being together he felt her lying peacefully beside him.

"Lois I couldn't stop loving you anymore than I could stop time itself." He said looking at her. He turned and looked at a blinding light from outside of the door and walk inside. The being standing at the end of their bed smiled gently and sat down at the foot of their bed.

"Superman I think that we both know who I am." The woman said.

"No, but you look familiar." He said while he looked her in the eye.

"Daddy that's really funny." The woman said smiling at him. She stood and he could see a resemblance to Lois in her face.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am your daughter Lanis Kent. I need to get use to using this power and I didn't quite get it right." She said.

"What power?" He asked looking at her.

"In the future there is an attack on Metropolis that kills several million people. The attack is from a new Titian controlled by Zeus. The lord of the Gods is angry with you. He plans on using a hero that he has tested in this time to destroy you and everyone that sides with you. He nearly did until Auntie Diana destroyed the Titian. They killed each other where the Daily Planet use to stand. I remember hearing Zatanna say that the Titian was the father of our League's Batwoman. I couldn't believe that Athena's father the original Batman was that thing. It must have killed Auntie Diana inside to fight him." She said looking toward the city that was now standing as if seeing it for the first time.

"I came back to tell you that Diana can't contact Zeus. That is exactly what he wants. He will take the pain away from Athena's dad, but doing so will kill him. When that happens he will be reborn. Daddy you can't let Zeus win like this. I spoke with Hera before I came back and she said that if Diana can find a cure for Athena's dad then she can stop the test and allow him to keep his soul. But Auntie Diana only has two days. After that Athena's dad will die from the toxin. Daddy you can't let that happen." Lanis said looking at him.

"Are you the daughter Lois is going to have now?" He asked.

"Yes, and you are a wonderful father. You love me and… Well I better not mention much more right now. Athena said that telling you too much will cause a huge rift in time. She warned that I shouldn't have even bonded myself with Chronos' Staff head, but I had to so I could come back and tell you. Daddy things will be better, but Zeus will always be mad at you. You should know that eventually he will come to face you again if he doesn't get to use the new Titian. When he does you need to be ready for him." She said as the bright light surrounded her again and soon she disappeared.

"Lois I have to go to the Watchtower." He said.

He looked to see an awake Lois laying there next to him. Tears streamed down her face and she hugged him tightly. A look of relief seemed to cover her.

"She called you daddy. Clark go and stop that bastard from ruining Diana's life. I will be here when you get back and I will be with you for the rest of my life." She said as they kissed again.

"Watchtower beam me directly to the medical bay." He said as he stood up. He held his clothes in his hand and the moment he materialized he quickly dressed and looked at Diana.

"Diana don't contact Zeus." Clark said to her.

"Clark how did you even know I was thinking about it?" She asked.

"My daughter she bonded herself to the staff head that belonged to Chronos. When she did she traveled back and told me what would happen." Clark said as he sat down and relayed the entire story to her.

Diana shook with rage when he finished. She had always been told that Zeus was a just God and ruler, but he dared to take Bruce from her, then he forced her to have to kill him. She looked at the man lying in the bed and then walked over to J'onn.

"J'onn are you closer to a cure?" She asked.

"Diana I have tested the toxin against the formula, but being incomplete it will neutralize it, but not stop the systems. It will be like fighting that plant known as the Black Mercy again for him." J'onn said as he stood and walked toward Bruce.

"J'onn do it and if possible can you bridge my mind with his?" She asked.

"Yes, I can do that, but Diana if you fail you will be trapped with him inside of this memory. Are you willing to risk it?" He asked.

"Please, he would do the same for me." She said touching Bruce's forehead.


	7. Gimme shelter

( I want to thank The-Lady-Isis for beta reading this story. She has been doing a wonderful job and has been helping direct it along. I also wanted to thank everyone that has read, reviewed, and gave input. Normally I don't go all in for Author's notes, but I felt that thanks was in order. As you might notice this chapter has not been beta read yet. So far it has only been chapters 1-3 that has been. I am replacing the chapters as they are fixed. (Personally I believe it to be a slightly better idea than reposting the entire story later.) For anyone that wanted to know why Hades is acting strangely I had to find a reference to base him on. The best idea that came to mind was the 'Comedian' from Watchmen. Personally I believe that the Comedian is a human representation of Hades if there ever was one. I'm just not having him be as much of a sociopath as the Comedian. Also This chapter is short, but it does have some serious setting for the story. Other than that let the fun begin.)

"Gimme Shelter"

(Bruce's mindscape)

Bruce watched in agony as his eight year old counter-part suggested the pearls once again to his mother. The boy seemed to teem with excitement at the prospect of seeing the "Mask of Zorro". His father smiled and almost glowed at the fact they were going to watch the action movie instead of going and seeing Faust again. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the opera, but Bruce had been waiting to see the new "Zorro" movie for ages.

Bruce watched as his family and his younger counter-part left and then suddenly the scenery changed. They were taking the short cut through the alley that he suggested since it connected to the street they needed to be on. He closed his eyes, but still he could 'see' what was happening.

"Give me your wallet and the Lady's pearls. Do it quickly and no one will get hurt." Joe Chill said as he held the gun on both Thomas and Martha Wayne. "What's that? More pearls being covered up? Joe Chill asked as he ripped open Martha's shirt to reveal more pearls and her bra. Martha covered herself and Thomas struck Joe Chill with his umbrella.

Bruce watched much like his younger self as his family was murdered in front of him. Joe Chill then turned the gun to the youngest Wayne. "Tell me kid, you ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?" Joe Chill asked and then looked toward the end of the alley after hearing police men running down the alley way.

"See you later kid." Joe Chill said as he took off into the night.

Bruce looked as the alley morphed and changed once again into his parent's bed room.

"NO!!! Stop it please!" Bruce shouted out and fell to his knees. He could hear the excited voice of his younger self, the soft voice of his mother, the slightly rough, but caring voice of his father. Suddenly another voice was added, but this one didn't belong there. He looked up to see Diana looking him in the face. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Bruce you've been poisoned. Someone named Aurthur Penn gave you a strong Neurotoxin. J'onn has managed to stop it from spreading, but we need you to snap out of it." She said looking at him.

"It's my fault. It's my fault that they're dead. I suggested the pearls, I suggested the alley. Diana I might not have pulled the trigger, but I killed my parents." He said leaning into her.

Diana had never seen Bruce so hurt emotionally. His voice was shaky and horse. She stroked the back of his head and wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but she needed him to be strong and fight his way out of this.

"Bruce this was never your fault. It was the fault of some coward who wanted to steal what he wanted and not earn it. I know that you want to blame yourself, but Bruce the one at fault is the mugger. It has always been the mugger and it was never you. If you are the man that I love then you will get up!" She said with determination.

Bruce slowly stood and watched the room morph into an imperfect version of the alley. His parents weren't standing there, but Joe Chill still stood there in front of them. He held the gun and looked at Bruce.

"Told ya that I'd see you again kid." Joe Chill said to Bruce pulling the hammer back on the gun.

Bruce began to feel the anguish and fear leave. Inside of him the anger at Joe Chill for killing his parents began to surface. Slowly he felt himself splitting into two beings. The first was the eight year old who had been helpless to stop the death of his parents, and the second was Batman who had tried to remove all of the 'Joe Chills' in the world and lock them up where they belonged. His body began to change and felt something force itself from him.

Diana watched as he began to morph from Bruce Wayne into Batman. Something was much different from this version of Batman than the one she had fallen in love with. He seemed completely intent on Joe Chill. That's when she looked to see the child version of Bruce laying on the street. She rushed over to him. His face seemed frozen in a look of terror and guilt. She touched his forehead and watched as the boy began to change into Bruce himself. The full grown version of Bruce looked at the Batman and both then looked at Joe Chill.

"No! This isn't supposed to be the way it happens!" Joe Chill shouted at them and then dropped his gun. Joe Chill began to change and finally he took a form that Diana knew all too well.

"Epiales! Were you his last test, or were you doing this just for sport?" Diana asked.

"Princess you do realize that you directly helped your mortal. His tests, his trials and you directly helped him in defeating me." Epiales said looking at her. He began to turn and walk off when something struck him. He turned and expected to see Diana, but instead it was Bruce. Both he and Batman had joined together into one being again.

"You dare strike me mortal?!" Epiales asked as he tried to force the appearance of Joe Chill again.

"That doesn't work anymore." Bruce said as he pinned Epiales to the wall.

"I know from the mythology I read that you can't escape from a mortal's dream if they are holding you." Bruce said as he continued to pin Epiales to the wall.

"Damn mortal. Hades is right to look down on you. You feel so full of yourself because you know a little information that well over a thousand years old. Yes I can't escape, but neither can you if you hold on to me. Didn't it seem strange to you that the one who wrote about this wasn't the one who trapped me in the first place? That's because that mortal held on to me for six days. His body died and his soul still trapped me afterward. That was until finally he used all of his spiritual energy and simply faded from excestance. So please hold on to me. You will die and so will anyone else connected to you in this realm." Epiales said smugly.

Bruce let him go and Epiales spat in disgust. The dream demon looked angry and almost seemed like he was going to go into a screaming fit.

"Damn it! You weren't supposed to beat me! You where suppose to fail! Know this mortal you may have passed your tests and you may have even kept your life, but I will be back for you. I will be there every time one of your children has a nightmare and I will show them the reason for their grandfather's and grandmother's deaths. I will have them live through your nightmare for the rest of their pitiful, useless, worthless lives." Epiales said as he disappeared.

"Can he do that Diana?" Bruce asked.

"Yes Bruce he can, and if I know him he will keep his promise. That is unless we can convince one of the Gods to protect their dreams." Diana said touching her stomach and wondering if a child was already forming inside of her.

"J'onn I know that you can hear me. Take Diana out of here and let me wake up." Bruce said to the Martian without even seeing him.

(Watchtower Medical Bay)

J'onn stood and nearly fell back from the strain of attempting to be a link for so long. He noticed Diana awake first, and then they all watched as Bruce slowly opened his eyes. J'onn smiled at Bruce before he began to make his way toward the back of the medical bay.

Diana looked at the man lying on the bed beside her. He attempted to sit up, but felt a stabbing pain rising in his side. His fingers traced the red marking of the blade that had struck him.

"That's the closest that I want to come to loosing you Master Bruce." Alfred said as he stood up.

"Alfred, exactly how did I arrive on the watchtower?" Bruce asked.

"I'm not entirely sure sir, but I would believe that it was the best option at the time." Alfred said as he began to stretch his legs.

"Sir now that I see you are in capable hands and no longer in danger I shall return to the manor. We were transported directly here, so those who do not know who you are still do not know who you are." Alfred said before he walked toward J'onn.

Diana watched as the few other founding members of the Justice League left and stood beside Bruce herself. She sat back down and kissed his forehead.

"Don't you ever come that close to leaving me again." She said as her hand found his.

"Princess, I doubt if I could leave you willingly." He said with the first real smile on his face in a long time. His expression changed quickly as he thought of the attack on him.

"Do they know who attacked me?" He asked.

"He was an old enemy of your father's known as Aurthur Penn. The man claims to be a direct heir of Alexander the Great. We still have the blade he used on you. J'onn is going to try and complete the antidote for it." Diana said looking at questioningly.

"I remember reading about him when I first became the Batman. Mr. Penn was not working alone. At least at the time he wasn't. He was connected to Ra's. If Ra's is in on this then I don't have to time to heal." He said trying to get up.

"Don't even think about it." Diana said looking at him sternly.

"You've got several days of rest to look forward to, and besides you are not alone you know." She said.

"Dick and Tim are not up to fighting Ra's. Especially if Talia is being brought in. She will divide them and let her father choose which one will become a host for him." Bruce said as he looked Diana in the face.

"You don't give your 'sons' enough credit. Besides the other league members will gladly protroll Gotham for you." She suggested.

"Gotham is my city. It is my reasonability and no one else's." He said coolly.

"Like it or not Bruce you are not leaving until that has healed and 'I'm' sure that you are well enough to leave." Diana stated plainly.

(Mt. Olympus)

Zeus looked at Hera with contempt. His wife had often enjoyed punishing the mortals he slept with and would let him off the hook. The few exceptions had been when both he and Hercules had upset her enough for her to convince him to take on mortality for a short time. Now she went too far in her punishment. She had helped determine the sex of the child growing in the mortal Lois Lane, and she had convinced him to go to earth as an immortal, but with the power of one of his lesser children. He began to think of how easy it would be to throw her into the nexist of time with Chronos and let her fall forever.

"My Husband what troubles you?" Hera asked innocently.

"You know what troubles me. This will not go unanswered Hera. I will not set idly by and allow you to make a fool of me." Zeus said while he looked sternly at Hera.

"My husband you do that well enough yourself. What do you plan to do? Do you plan to erase me from ever being? That would be foolish since it would remove all of your subjects as well. So what then? Perhaps you want to have me join Chronos? You know that eventually I would find my way out and there would be hell to pay. Understand this Zeus. You are 'my' husband. I do not like finding out second hand that you've slept with another mortal. To make matters worse you slept with a mortal by tricking her! Of course I had to be made a fool in front of 'my' subjects! I will not blindly stand by and watch you bring our house to ruin." Hera said as she stood and then began to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Zeus asked.

"You want to be on your own then you have it. I am going to mortal world with all of my powers. Once there I am going to decide what to do and where to go. I swear Zeus that if you so much as try to find me I will find a way to release Chronos myself and let him take his revenge on you." She said as she disappeared.

(Central City)

Hera appeared inside of a small apartment and stepped forward. She opened the door and walked down toward the street. She looked back at the apartment and began to think. Raising her hands the apartment building and those inside underwent a sudden change. Once the change was finished the apartment building looked surprisingly like a lighter and colorful version of Wayne Manor. She smiled inwardly and changed the landscape around it to match the building. Seeing that her new home away from home was finished she began surveying the surrounding city trying to decide what she might change.


	8. Sympathy for the Devil

"**Sympathy for the Devil**"

(Wayne Manor three days after Bruce's last test)

Bruce slowly opened his eyes as he sat up. He felt tired, but that happens after patrolling all night and then having to attend a board meeting the next day. He looked at Diana who lay next to him and nudged her gently.

"It is time to get up Princess." He said to her.

"It is time for you to get up and for me to sleep." Diana responded as she buried her head in the pillow.

"You didn't have to wait up for me you know." Bruce said as he stood up and walked over toward the closet. Unknown to him Diana turned slightly and watched as he strolled naked toward the closet. A smile crossed her lips, but she turned back quickly when she believed he was getting ready to look.

"I know that you where watching. You might as well get up and start the day." Bruce said as he pulled out a suit and fished for a tie on the many racks.

"Is that anyway to talk to the future mother of your children?" She asked as she finally sat up in bed and watched him.

"It is if I am treating her as an equal." He replied and then strolled back over to the bed. He kissed her deeply and then sat down beside her.

"Do you have to attend this meeting?" She asked playfully.

"I would say no, but Lucius told me that today they are voting on the buying out of Daggett Industries. Personally I wouldn't own the company, but I need to see Daggett's books and find out what exactly he is up to since being released from prison." Bruce answered looking at her.

"Again do you have to go in? Lucius is more than capable of doing that. I've only met him once, but he seems extremely intelligent." She said softly as she moved toward him. Bruce knew that Lucius needed him to be there, but he also knew that he didn't want to turn down Diana either.

"I'll have Lucius bring over the reports and we'll go over them in the study." He said finally as he climbed back into bed.

(Central City)

Wally watched the strange events happening in his city. Normally he was busy enough with League business that he didn't get to patrol Central City like Batman patrolled Gotham, but this was strange enough that he couldn't help but notice. The entire south 1800 block had changed from low rent apartments to a gated community. What was stranger still was that no one from the apartments had moved out. It was if someone had simply gone in, built huge houses, and then gave it to those people. Normally that would seem like a good thing, but he knew better than get something for nothing. Finally after a few minutes of wondering what he should do he decided to run to the 1800 block and see exactly what was going on.

(1800 block of Central City)

Hera looked at the large community that she had created. Everyone had been changed to belong to the area. Naturally they were all her servants, but she allowed them their own lives and interests. Smiling she began to wonder when she would see anyone she knew in the mortals world. Of course the only person that she had much contact with in the mortal world was Princess Diana, but it was possible that some of her 'grandchildren' where still roaming in the world. Smiling she leaned back in a lawn chair on the front of her new home. She looked at the sky and saw rain clouds gathering. Slowly the smile began to fade and a more serious look came over her. She stood and prepared to tell Zeus off when a large blast of thunder echoed through the surrounding area. She covered her ears and once again the same echoing blast of thunder shook the ground.

_Zeus if that is you I swear I will keep my promise. _ She thought to herself.

Slowly the echoing thunder quieted and she uncovered her ears and listened. Hearing nothing she leaned back against the lawn chair and closed her eyes. She opened them suddenly at the sound of something crashing a few feet from her. She stood and walked closer to see a being dressed quite strangely. He wore a Viking helmet with wings attached instead of horns. Clasped in his hands were a giant hammer, but the most striking thing about him was his face. She looked at him and studied his features for a few moments. Smelling him she could tell he was not a mortal. In fact he was a God of some sort. She backed up when he stood and shook his head. His golden hair fell down on his shoulders and for the first time since before Zeus had cheated on her she felt excited.

"By Odin I will have that witches head on a pike!" Thor said with a thunderous voice. He reached down into his satchel and pulled out a golden apple. Taking a bite he looked around him and his eyes stopped on Hera. Smiling he felt the blood boil within him. The woman was not a mortal, yet she was in the mortal world. It intrigued him to see another God share his interest with the mortal world.

"And who art thou fair maiden?" Thor asked as he looked Hera in the eyes.

"I am Hera queen of the Gods and mother to several, and who are you?" she asked watching every move he made.

"I am Thor God of Thunder, keeper of Mjollnir, and son of Odin. I've heard you before great Hera, but when I did it was not from a pleasant source." Thor said

Hera watched him and realized what he meant. She had seen into the other universes before and in one of them Hercules was never punished by being turned into a statue. Of course in that universe Thor had beaten Hercules within an inch of his life. She walked toward him and touched his face.

"Why are you here mighty Thor?" She asked.

"I was attacked by a witch while I aided those who worthy of entering Valhalla. The witch cast a spell that opened a portal between that world and this one. I shall find her and when I do I will rip the heart from her bosom." Thor said as he thought of the witch that caused him to suffer another humiliation.

"Perhaps you could stay here and wait. Rushing back into battle could cause greater damage those that follow you, and of course she could be waiting for you to come back. If you wait you could catch her off guard and then proceed with the punishment she deserves." Hera said as she studied his form.

"My lady do you not have a husband?" He asked her.

"I have left Olympus and have desire to return. Zeus has brought shame on our marriage for the last time. I will not go back to his smug face again." She said with a voice full of the venom of hate.

"For him to anger such a beauty is foolish. If I were him I would not have angered you. Of course I am a demanding God as are all my brothers. We find the one woman we wish for and take her for our own. Except for Loki he tried to take an Amazon and she beat him senseless." Thor said with a smirk.

Hera laughed at the thought of a god being beaten by an Amazon and wondered what it would look like if it were Zeus. She turned her attention back to Thor.

"Mighty Thor do you have a wife?" She asked.

"Aye I had a wife and a child. Both where the very meaning of my life, but Loki decided to play a cruel trick on me and killed them both. He then went further to remove their memories of me even in death so that they do not know me. My brother has paid dearly for his pranks, but at last I cannot return her memory to her. Without knowing me she has found another in the afterlife and they are happy. I have thought of going and taking her from him, but he is a worthy warrior, and died well in battle. She is happy and I will not take her from him. So I am no longer married." He said looking at her.

"Perhaps then it is fate that brought you here. I no longer have a husband, and you no longer have a wife. We are two deities alone in a world surrounded by mortals. We could be two deities together surrounded by mortals." She said stepping closer.

Smiling Thor reached forward and pulled her to him. He felt the softness of her as she stood before him.

"Understand that if I take you, then we are together forever. I will kill any man or deity that so much as tries to take you from me." Thor said to her.

"Speak of the devil." Hera said as another God appeared with an angry look on his face.

"Take your hands off of my wife." Zeus said to Thor as he stepped forward.

"She is yours no longer." Thor said as he lifted Mjollnir and prepared to fight with Zeus.

(Three houses up from Hera's new home)

Flash watched the two 'Gods' for a lack of a better word face off. They circled each other and then one dressed like a Viking slammed the other into the ground with a huge hammer. That wasn't the end of it either. The Viking began kicking and slamming the hammer down on the other 'God' while trash talking him. He watched as the other formed a bolt of lightning in his hand and contacted it with the Viking God. It would have been fun to watch, but the 'Gods' weren't staying in the front yard anymore. They went crashing through the house and into the one behind it.

"Flash to watchtower. Ummm you guys might want to send some help down here. Anyone that is strong against magic, and if you can find Wonder Woman you might have her come too." He said into the communicator.

(Watchtower)

Hawk girl began contacting the league members that were strong against magic including Diana who seemed somewhat angry about being interrupted. She didn't ask what was going on, but figured that both she and Batman were both going at it like rabbits. She smirked slightly at thought of the two finally coming together. Getting up she headed toward her room and grabbed her mace. She walked by Captain Marvel who was visiting and offered to come and help as well.

(Wayne Manor Bruce and Diana's bed room.)

Diana grumbled about being called to duty after talking Bruce out of going to the office. Of course Bruce had already went and suited up. She walked down to the Batcave dressed in her armor and looked at her beloved as he climbed into the Batwing.

"I'm not going to tell you not to go Bruce, but please be careful. From what Shayera said it is two 'Gods' Fighting in Central City. I don't know why they would be fighting in the mortal world, but if it continues it could prove dangerous to everyone." She said

"That's why I am going princess." He said as she climbed into the Batwing with him.

(Central City)

Thor looked at Zeus as the two Gods prepared to fight again. The trail of destruction left behind them showed literally over a hundred now homeless and untold amounts of those where dead. The Norse God did not endangering mortals both because of his mother Gaea and his Father's Odin less in humility by forcing him to take on mortality for a short time, but this undisciplined wretch was making him want to enter berserksgangr and be done with the fight. Still he held out trying to protect the innocent mortals that his mother so loved.

"Why are trying to miss their homes boy?" Zeus asked as he hurled a bolt of lightning toward Thor.

The Norse God finally raised his hammer and the lighting struck it. He held the hammer toward Zeus and returned the lighting tenfold. Zeus jumped back and stood surprised at the god dressed as a Viking.

"I am the Norse God of Thunder! The elements of the storms are mine to control!" Thor said finally reaching berserksgangr rage and unleashing a hellish storm upon Zeus.

Hera stood in awe at the power Thor used on her former husband. She had once cared for Zeus and still she felt pity toward him for being so hard headed, but this was a lesson he needed to be taught. She was no longer his. She could not condone the things he had done and so she turned her back on him.

Zeus struggled against the onslaught of the elements. This god was stronger than he had believed and it was foolish to have rushed into the battle without the help of the other Gods and Goddesses. Although he knew that Hades would more than likely have laughed at the idea of helping him drag Hera back by force. He mustered up his strength and began holding his hands out in front of him causing the lighting, wind, earth shattering thunder, and basket ball sized hail from striking him directly. He walked toward the Norse God and looked toward Hera who had turned her back on him. For the first time in his long, long life he felt truly alone and let his hands down. The combined blast of the elements struck him and he slammed into a mortal's home and destroyed it.

Thor could barely see beyond the rage that engulfed him. His eyes burned at the need to destroy this arrogant whelp who challenged him. He walked toward the laying form of Zeus and stopped when he heard crying. Slowly the anger that was passed from Odin left him and he felt the compassion from his mother stir. He knelt down and lifted a piece of the house that had fallen and looked at the child lying under it.

"Child are you harmed?" He asked.

The girl cradled her arm where it had been broken and backed away from him in fear. He shook his head and offered his hand.

"I will not harm thee. Ist thou mother and father here?" He asked.

She shook her head and nodded toward the edge of the gated community.

"They left to gather Mistress Hera's groceries. I was here alone..." She said as fresh tears entered her eyes.

Thor took the golden apple he had taken a bite of and broke a small section off of it. He handed it to the girl and smiled.

"Eat of this and your arm shall be harmed no longer." He said.

She eyed the apple for a moment and then deciding that it would be better to eat it than upset him she popped it into her mouth. As she chewed her arm began to mend itself. Once she was finished she smiled and gave Thor a hug. The Norse God smiled and then pushed her away.

"Go little one and do not look back. I have to finish this." Thor said as he walked toward Zeus.

(Near Hera)

Flash watched in amazement as the Viking God helped a child and then sent her away from him. He rushed toward the one standing and hoped that he wasn't making a mistake.

"You don't have to do anymore to him." Flash said

"He insulted me and he harmed the innocent." Thor said standing over a beaten and bruised Zeus.

"You helped in harming the innocent. Listen he's not worth it." Flash said trying to appeal to what he hoped was the God's better nature.

"Aye I helped in harming the innocent because he decided to fight here. He tore up the land, defiled much of their homes, and destroyed innocent lives. God or not he deserves not to live." Thor said as he brought up Mjollnir. He stopped when Flash rushed in front of him.

"I can't allow you to just kill him. That's not the way things work here." Flash said.

"Do thou thinks that mortal laws mean anything to one such as him? He wilt laugh in the face of those who serve the law and destroy them for the pure enjoyment of it. He is like Loki and cannot be trusted." Thor said looking at Zeus.

"Whoever Loki is and whatever he did doesn't justify killing him." Flash said hoping that the God wouldn't decide to just destroy them both and be done with it.

Flash felt a rush of relief when he saw Wonder Woman's lasso wrap around the Viking God and seem to hold him for a moment. The Viking God turned and faced the Amazon Princess.

"Release me or I shall destroy your string." Thor said looking her straight in the eyes.

"Wondy he seems a little nicer than the other one, but he is pretty intent on killing the other guy." Flash said as he zipped around toward where Wonder Woman was.

"He destroyed the homes of the innocent and deserves no less." Thor said holding his head up high.

"It isn't up to you on who should live and who should die." Batman said stepping toward them. While Thor was unsure of who the man was standing before him he recognized a warrior's spirit. Much like the Amazon this mortal was a warrior with a code of honor. After some thought about the subject Thor nodded.

"Very well he shall not perish this day, but if he ever insults me or interferes with the innocent mortals again I shall take vengeance upon him." Thor said to them.

Feeling that the God meant what he said Diana released him and then walked toward the fallen God. She stood in disbelief as she looked on Zeus who looked as though he had jumped head first into fight between all of the Titians. She looked toward Thor and shook her head.

"Who are you exactly?" She asked.

"I am Thor, God of Thunder, Keeper of Mjollnir, Son of Odin, and Husband to Hera." Thor said proudly.

Wonder Woman looked surprised at what he said and then it occurred to her what happened. Zeus upset Hera then Hera left Olympus. When she did she met Thor and something made her decide to attach herself to him. Zeus found out and came down to force Hera back, and then Thor beat his ass.

Hera finally walked up to Thor and leaned against him. Diana looked at the Goddess in a new light. She had finally taken all of the shame she could stand from Zeus and left him. It surprised her to see Hera with another God, but it made sense for it to be one so close to Zeus himself. The Norse God of Thunder kissed Hera deeply and then looked at the surrounding landscape.

"There is much rebuilding to do. The mortals deserve their homes and we deserve ours. This whelp is not welcomed here." Thor said as he lifted Zeus and pushed him toward Diana. The Amazonian Princess took the king of the Gods and looked at Bruce with a questioning look.

"Take him back to Themyscira Diana. Once there he can return to Olympus and not return after me. I will not be going back." Hera said as she walked with Thor.

The Amazonian Princess walked with Batman while supporting Zeus on their shoulders. They reached the Batwing and lifted Zeus into it. Once inside Batman set the Batwing to autopilot.

"Princess has this ever happened before that you know of?" Bruce asked.

"The only person I have ever known that could have done this to Zeus was Chronos. And Zeus finally cast him into the nexus of time." Diana said as the Batwing made it way toward her homeland.

(Themyscira)

The Batwing landed and soon was surrounded by Amazon guards. Bruce opened the hatch and found a spear facing him. The other Amazons stopped when they saw Diana. The Princess lifted a still unconscious Zeus up and out of the Batwing.

"Mighty Zeus has lost his queen. We have come to return him." She said as both Batman and her moved Zeus to the ground. The King of the Gods finally stirred and looked at the Amazons surrounding him.

The Amazons bowed before Zeus and the King of the Gods looked at Hera's subjects. The first thing he considered was smiting all of them, but then he just walked toward his temple.

"Queen Hippolyta will want to see you Princess Diana." One of the guards said.

"I will not go any further into Themyscira without Batman. He is a champion of Themyscira and it would be only fair that he be allowed to travel the palace." Diana said

"Step quickly. Your stay will not be a long one." The guard said once they headed toward the palace.


	9. Wild horses

"**Wild Horses**"

(Asgard)

Loki smiled to himself at having Thor banished through the witch LeFay. His brother had always been noble and now he had suffered defeat at the hands of a mere magic user. Loki sat comfortably on the throne of power looking at the other Gods who he had managed to freeze in time. He smiled at the contact he had made with Chronos father of Zeus and walked toward the 'semi' freed god.

"Chronos thou old fiend how do you enjoy your new surroundings?" Loki asked.

"The moment I am freed I will destroy you and Zeus. I will not stand for my power to be used by one so weak." Chronos said looking at Loki with disgust.

"Now, now I did mostly free you from the nexus of time. Well I freed the part that I needed. Your physical body is stuck there, but then again what does a true god need with a physical body?" Loki asked with a laugh as he walked up to Freyja and grabbed her breast and watched Oor's face as he continued to touch his wife.

"What's wrong Oor? Do you not enjoy your wife being the center of attention?" He asked as he let go and walked further into the mist of the gods.

Oor forced himself to turn his head toward Loki and tried to move, but the hold of time was making progress slow.

"When I am free Loki I will stick your head on a pike! The wolves will feed from your gut that I will split open like a pig! Do you hear me like a pig!" Oor shouted at Loki as the God of deception moved further down.

"Say what you want Oor and next time I shall simply take her in front of you. Perhaps I shall do that after Lunch." Oor said as he turned the corner and came into contact with the one other person not held by the effects of time. The Valkyrie known as Brunnhilde, whom he had chained to the wall using the very iron ore that once trapped Odin and Oberon of Avalon, seemed to struggle and pull harder against her restraints.

"You know I hate for you to ruin such delicate skin on those shackles. I can release you once you pledge yourself to my service and cast down the pledge you made to 'King' Thor." Loki said looking at her.

"I shall escape and when I do I will kill you Loki. The entire of Asgard shall watch as you are run through by the sword of the Ice Giant. This insult and trickery shall not be forgotten." She said with her eyes trained on him.

"So much like your master." He said as he struck her and then kissed the blood from her lips.

"But so much more promise. I suggest that you come around to my side. LeFay cast Thor into another universe. When he finally gets back I shall have found Odin's eye and I will destroy my brother and take my rightful place as King of Asgard!" Loki said with a sense of triumph.

(Mt. Olympus)

Zeus looked down at Phobos who had decided to leave the king of the Gods alone. It was obvious that Zeus was no mood to be disturbed, but with his every action being watched Phobos finally decided to tell Zeus that news he had dreaded saying for a while.

"My lord Chronos is no longer completely within the nexus of time." Phobos said looking away.

The belief that Zeus could get no angrier was soon disproven as the God soon caused the very foundations of their home to shake.

"What?! What do you mean he is no longer in the nexus of time?!" Zeus said to Phobos as he held him up to his face.

"My lord he was freed by another god. It was not one of us, but one from Asgard. He is the brother to the one that has taken Queen Hera for a wife. I believe that he intends to us Chronos against his brother, or I would assume so." Phobos said trying to appease his Uncle.

"Gain an Audience with this God for me. I wish to discuss how to kill his brother, and I wish to ensure that Chronos is dealt with for all time." Zeus said as he released Phobos.

"And Phobos do not fail me. Remember what I did to Hades when he displeased me." Zeus said as he turned from Phobos and walked toward the gateway to the mortal world.

(Themyscira)

Hippolyta looked disapprovingly at Batman as Wonder Woman walked up to her mother and knelt. Batman following form and tradition knelt in honor and then rose. Hippolyta seemed slightly more pleased and then looked at her daughter.

"Diana I wish to speak to you in private." Hippolyta said as she led her daughter away from Bruce.

Bruce watched as Diana left and turned to see several Amazons eyeing him. He could tell by their expressions that while they did not care for men they did enjoy looking upon them. The idea of turn about being fair play came to his mind and he decided to ignore the fact he was becoming eye candy for a short while.

(In Hippolyta's private chambers)

"I have spoken with Aphrodite and found out what she had planned from the very beginning. I can't say that I am pleased." She said looking at her daughter.

"Mother I love him. If there is any reason for me to stay in man's world and any reason to protect it the reason is Bruce. If you are to know who I love then you need to know the man behind the mask. Mother, Bruce is honorable and noble. I've known him to be nothing else. When he was tried by the Gods he never once gave in. There is something else though isn't there?" She asked.

"Yes my daughter there is, but I am not allowed to speak of it. The Goddess will reveal it in her time. The other reason I wanted to see you was this. Zeus is angry at the mortal world. He feels anger because Hera is no longer on Olympus. I have found out through Hermes. He stopped here and informed me of the situation on Olympus. From what he has told me the one responsible for his anger still lives on the mortal world. This other God may protect the mortals for now, but I fear that Zeus will find a way to remove him and then take his vengeance on all of the mortals. Daughter it may be wise to stay here on Themyscira for a while." Hippolyta said gently to Diana.

"Mother I will face what Zeus brings with Bruce. This is my home, but where Bruce lives is also my home." She said trying to explain it to Hippolyta.

"Daughter I pray that this decision does not come back to haunt you." She said sadly as she turned and began to walk back toward the throne room.

Diana followed her and once inside of the throne room she saw several Amazons looking Bruce over. She had seen the expression they held before on several women who had dated Bruce in his 'playboy' identity. She narrowed her eyes at them and watched them quickly look away from 'her' man.

"Diana, please remember to visit." Hippolyta said to her daughter and then nodded with approval to Bruce.

"So do I want to ask what the meeting was about?" Bruce asked as they made their way to the Batwing.

"Zeus is angry at the mortal world and wants to kill the other god." She said

"It's understandable, but I don't blame Hera for leaving him." He said as they climbed into the Batwing and began to take off.

"I do not blame her either, but this decision she has made could make countless others suffer. This other god seems to be concerned with mortals well being, but that could change. I only wish that I knew more about him." She said.

"Princess I have a large collection of 'mythology' books in the library. I know quite a large amount about Thor and he has always cared for mortals and the earth. He is the son of Gaea and Odin. He gets the caring for mortals and the earth from his mother, and from his father he gets a short temper." Batman said as the Batwing headed toward Gotham.

"Is there other Gods from where he came from?" She asked.

"Several, and if Thor is the God of Thunder then we may be in trouble." He said.

"How could we be in more trouble?" She asked.

"His brother Loki is one reason. Loki hates Thor and wants nothing more than discredit him and take over as Odin's favorite. If Loki had part in Thor ending up here then he will find a way to cause trouble in this world." Batman said as the Batwing finally entered the cave.

"It sounds to me that Loki has much in common with Hades." Diana said as they climbed out.

(Metropolis Central Park)

An old vagrant slowly made his way through the darker parts of the park. His face lined with age and worry. Unknown too many this seemly old man was the last of the high priests of Odin. He had managed to survive countless centuries by eating of the golden apples of Asgard given to him by Odin. The vagrant walked past several children who made faces and acted as though his smell would kill them. He thought for a moment about wasting a little magic and turning the lot of them to stone, but doing so would bring Loki down upon him. He had transported himself to this world and knew that even in this different universe Loki would find him. The God of deception would not stop until all that served Odin and knew of the eye was found, made to speak of the location of the eye, and then split open and fed to the serpents while still alive. It was not a fate that he wished for himself.

The vagrant smiled as he neared the small cave he had come to know as home. The outside of the cave he had marked ancient runes to ward off all but Odin and Thor. He almost broke into a run when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned to see a being he took as a god. This god was not one of his people, but was a god of the Greeks. He had learned of the gods that followed Zeus through his travels and wanted even less to do with them then he wanted to do with Loki. He backed toward the cave knowing safety and security waited just beyond the opening.

"You will not make it priest. If you listen to me I can promise that we will speak to Loki on your behalf, but if you run I will make you wish that Loki had you right now." Phobos said looking at the priest.

"I speak only to Odin and Thor. I will listen, but that is all I shall do." The priest said watching Phobos.

"Lord Zeus wishes a meeting with Loki. He wishes to speak of a peace between Asgard and Olympus." Phobos said the half truth to the priest.

"Loki has no direction over Asgard. That lies with Thor and Odin. Odin has left Asgard to travel the battle fields of other worlds. He seeks more souls to fill Valhalla. He has left Thor in charge of Asgard and banished Loki from ever stepping within it again." The priest said to Phobos.

"Loki has banished Thor to this universe, and from what we understand overthrown Asgard. It is not Thor we wish to speak with but it is Loki. Contact him for me, or I will show you such terrors that your tiny near mortal mind will cave in on itself." Phobos said to the priest coolly.

The priest realized that while Phobos may be lying about Thor he wasn't lying about his promise and decided that it would be easier to simply use the chant to bring Loki to this world through him. Of course once he did so his location would be known and he would have to escape again.

The priest knelt down and drew Runes in the dirt. He then took out a small jar and opened it. Once opened a blue flame appeared above the jar and the priest stood.

"Loki, God of deception and air I allow myself to be a vessel for your presence. Speak with this deity who demands your presence." The priest said.

(Asgard)

Loki walked to the doors of Valhalla which still remained locked. The great hall stood in defiance of his powers. Loki spat at the doors thinking of how Odin had banished him from Valhalla and even now it would not open to him. He turned back when suddenly his entire essence was pulled from him and he opened his eyes through a priest. He looked at the Olympian standing before him and grinned at the God of fear.

"I take it that Zeus realized someone was missing." Loki said to Phobos.

"That is a matter lord Zeus wishes to discuss with you. He also wishes to destroy Thor and he believes that you may know how. If you come to Olympus he will explain everything." Phobos said.

"Tell Zeus that he needs to come to Asgard. I will allow his presence and keep time from holding him. As for Thor I have plans of his destruction, but that will come after I have gained the eye of Odin. This vessel may know where it is, but I cannot take him with me. The moment I have returned to Asgard he will enter his cave. When he does I have no power to bring him out again. However if you can take him with you to Olympus I shall be sure to reward you accordingly." Loki said to Phobos.

The God of fear smiled and watched as the priest returned to his senses. Phobos started to step forward, but the runes in the dirt prevented him from reaching the priest. The priest smiled and ran into the cave. Once inside he looked at Phobos.

"Do you think that I have survived so long to fall victim now? Those runes can carry the essence of a God to me, and it will keep any being that wishes me harm from reaching me." He said as he moved further back into his cave.

"Smart priest, very smart, but not smart enough. I shall have someone come and remove you who does not intend to harm you." Phobos said as he disappeared.

(Gotham City Wayne Manor)

Diana sat in the library across from Bruce. She had taken down three of the oldest texts Bruce had over the Norse Gods and so far from what the old authors had said about Loki she didn't like him one bit. He seemed to enjoy causing grief and strife. He loved to toy with both the Gods and mortals and seemed to find a sick sense of humor when it came to killing someone. All in all he sounded like a horrible mix between Hades and the Joker. She shuttered when she thought of someone like the Joker having the powers of a God. Even having the powers of a lesser god could be dangerous in the hands of someone like that. She looked at Bruce who was brushing up on his study of Themyscira based on the history relayed from myths and the Amazons who had left the island. She began to turn her attention back to the book when she slowly began to lose focus. Her head felt heavy and slowly she felt herself giving into sleep.

(Diana's nightmare)

Diana looked at the island of Themyscira as an unknown God danced around laughing at the destruction. His laughter seemed to reflect the Joker's in every way. She watched as he bent over her mother and mocked the proud queen who was chained to the floor of her palace. He proceeded to beat her until finally she watched her mother break and give into his demands. She turned her back and looked at the far wall. There hanging from the wall was Bruce. His belly had been split open and wolves where eating at him. She held her hand over her mouth and her eyes filled with terror. She backed up and felt someone behind her. Turning around she looked in the face of the unknown God who smirked at her.

"Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste. I've been around for a long, long year stole a many man soul and faith." He said as he reached forward and thrust his hand into her chest.

Diana set up and screamed at the top of her lungs and held her hands over where the God had reached into her chest. She breathed easily and looked over at Bruce. As she looked at him she noticed something was wrong. Walking over to him she touched his shoulder and watched as his head rolled onto the table. She stepped back and felt someone behind her. She turned to see Phobos standing there.

"Your fear is the most wonderful that I have drink of in over a thousand years. I could continue this all night, but understand that this isn't a simple nightmare. This is visions of what is to come if Loki is allowed to keep Chronos at Asgard. He will kill your beloved and then he will overthrow all of Themyscira. I show this to you because there is a priest of Odin's in Metropolis. He is hiding in its Central Park. If you can find him and bring him out he may be able to reach someone over Loki to stop him." Phobos said.

"How do I know that you are not lying?" She asked.

"You don't, but if you don't do this then the nightmares will not stop. Every night I will show you the death of your beloved mortal until he is truly killed by Loki." Phobos said before he disappeared.

(Wayne Manor Library)

Diana set up with a start and looked to see a concerned and confused Bruce. He stood next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Diana are you alright?" he asked.

"Bruce I have to go to Metropolis. There is someone there that can help make sure that a war is avoided between the Gods on Olympus and the Gods on Asgard." She said as she stood and began to walk out of the library.

"Diana slow down what is going on?" he asked.

"Phobos showed me something that is going to happen and soon. Bruce, Hera help me, I can't ask you to come with me. If you do then your life will be in danger. If I don't do this then everyone's lives may be in danger." She said as she looked at him trying to find a way to keep him safe and at the same time not wound his honor.

"Diana if this is something concerning me then I am going." He said while he looked at her.

"Bruce the person I am going to see isn't danger I don't think, but if I don't find him Loki will travel to Themyscira. Once there he will enslave all of the Amazons and he will kill the champions that have returned to save it. I saw him feeding you to the wolves. I believe him to be like the Joker, only he has the power of a god Bruce." She said looking at him.

"Diana I can't stand by and let you do this alone." Bruce said as he walked toward the entrance of the Batcave. Diana watched him and shook her head. He was hard headed, determined, and willing to put himself in danger to protect those he cared for. It was hard for him to say that he loved someone, but he showed it every time he put himself in danger for her.

She followed him down into the Batcave, but instead of taking the Batwing she had him climb into the invisible jet. Taking off from the cave Diana flew the jet toward Metropolis and soon it landed inside of the park. Both she and Bruce climbed out and looked at the surrounding area. She could feel the protective spells placed by the priest and followed the sensation until she saw the cave. She slowly walked forward and stepped into the cave. Once inside she could hear a voice in the distance chanting and a strange, unearthly light glowing. She entered into the room to see the priest knelt before a circle of runes drawn onto the wall. The runes seemed to each glow with each word that came from the priest's mouth. He stopped when she moved slightly. The runes seemed to disappear and he turned toward her. His face looked old and tired. The man slowly stood and looked at her and then smiled slightly.

"I knew that king Thor was not thrown out of Asgard. He has sent a Valkyrie to bring me home. I have not died in battle, but I have served both Odin and he." The old priest said as he walked with Diana out of the cave.

She listened to him and began to feel for his plight. He had been chosen to carry the eye of Odin and it was an honor that helped keep his sanity. When they stepped out of the cave she saw his heart sink. He stood and looked at her with a confused and lost look on his face. He didn't seem to understand that she was there to ensure that a war wouldn't break out. She began to speak to him when Phobos appeared and walked toward him. The old man backed away from the God, but was stopped. The God of fear walked toward the priest who now cowered from his worse fears and dreams that seemed to plague him. For a moment the old man seemed to fight off the effects and threw the eye of Odin toward Batman. He watched the warrior who was already marked by the Valkyries catch the eye and then both he and Phobos disappeared.

The eye bonded to Bruce when he caught it. Diana turned toward him and watched as he dropped to his knees. His back arched and two bat wings ripped out through the skin and muscle. He felt his body changing slowly until he was a new creature. He let out a God awful howl and took to the skies. Diana chased after him and watched as this creature pulled the human skin from its body. The change brought out the Bat and she looked at it as it finished forming.

"I will not give him back Princess." The Bat said in the deep voice Bruce used when he spoke to those he fought.

"Love is not part of the plan, family is not part of the plan, and all of those that cause pain will feel my wrath and those that stand in my way shall perish!" It shouted as it tried to fly further out and back toward Gotham.


	10. Paint it Black

"**Paint it Black"**

(Watchtower)

Shayera walked down the hall toward the cafeteria. She wondered exactly what was going to happen on earth with the new Deities living in the public eye. Superman had informed everyone that monitoring should still be kept heavily over Central City. It was a decision she didn't argue with. She began to walk through the door when her communicator went off.

"Shayera I need you to lock onto my location and transport two directly to cell block!" Diana shouted through the communicator.

Shayera didn't hesitate for a second and ran straight to the transporter. She keyed in the codes and then went to cell Block. Once there she saw a creature that looked like it was part bat and part human. This creature was speaking like Batman and trying to break loose from Diana.

"Release me this instance 'Princess'! He is gone and I will not allow the vengeance I was created for go undone!" The creature said. Diana seemed to be on autopilot for the most part and forced the creature into a cell. She turned the energy field on and then she turned from the cell. She no sooner walked four steps before she fell to her knees.

Shayera had always believed that Diana was the strongest woman in the world. She knew that the Princess was able to withstand physical pain, but it never even dawned on her that emotional pain could drop the mighty Wonder Woman just like anyone else.

"That thing changed him! Phobos said that finding that priest would save Bruce, but it changed him into that creature! Tell K… Superman that we need to set up a meeting with Thor. I want him back… Why, why do the fates do this to us?" She asked Shayera as she leaned into her friend.

Shayera witnessed something for the first time. She witnessed Princess Diana of Themyscira crying. After several minutes Diana finally found the strength to get up. In the distance both Shayera and Diana could hear the 'Bat' screaming about its mission. Shayera noticed how hard it was for Diana not to go back and try to reach the real Batman inside of that thing. Still the Princess managed to march on toward the founder's room. She watched Diana address Superman and then she turned to everyone and began to tell what happened.

"After I found the priest he tossed something to Bru… Batman. When Batman caught it that thing began to form inside of him. It burst through and took over. He… It said that love, family, none of it mattered and only the mission mattered. That thing took off for Gotham and I managed to catch it. When I did we fought. Somehow that thing that is attacked to its chest has given it the powers of a God, because it was all I could do to hold it. I believe that B…Batman was inside helping me because it could have killed me at any second. But he's losing strength inside of it. I don't know how I know, but somehow I can tell that he will soon be gone forever if we don't do something. Since that thing is called the Eye of Odin and since Thor is Odin's son I think that we should contact him. He may know how to remove it." Diana said suppressing the tears that tried to fight to the surface.

After listening to what she had to say the founders voted and all but one agreed to contact Thor. The other five members looked surprised at Green Lantern who stood up and looked out at the stars.

"We know nothing about Thor except for what some very old stories tell us. To let him come in and work with us and know nothing about him would be a mistake. We can't afford another invasi…o..n… "He said slowly as he thought about what he was saying. He watched Shayera's face turn angry and then watched as she stormed out. He could hear swearing in Thanagarian as she hit the walls of the Watchtower.

"Well you put your foot in your mouth." Wally said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Shut up Flash." John said as he closed his eyes and realized how much time he just wasted trying to rebuild a friendship with Shayera.

"Like it or not John majority rules here. 5 of the six stable founders have voted to contact Thor. We'll transport down to Central City right away." Superman said as he looked at the others.

(1800th block Gated Community Central City)

Thor finished helping rebuild the house next to the one that was Hera's. He looked at the mortals who had helped. After finishing one of the men had broke out a cooler of beer and soon Thor was drinking them under the table. He laughed and boasted of draining the bottomless mead horn. Several of the men laughed, but the reason was because they were so wasted that everything was funny to them. He turned his head when he heard the buzzing sounds of the teleporter and looked at the heroes that had appeared.

"Ahhh Friends come and drink! The beer is weak, but the art good!" he shouted as he finished another can.

"Ummm Supes what was that you said about heroes and drinking in the public eye?" Flash asked him.

Wonder Woman stepped forth and relayed everything that happened to Thor and everyone watched as his eyes narrowed. The mighty God of Thunder called for Hera who walked toward him. Diana arched an eyebrow when she realized that the Goddess was getting more physical attention then she had been use to. She could tell that Hera was happy, but she seemed to be tired. She also was looking at Thor with the same expression that Diana often used after Bruce and she had made love.

"Yes my love?" Hera asked.

"You need to contact your nephew Phobos. He has endangered one my father's priests. When he arrives keep him here and I shall 'express' my distaste of his actions. I shall return." He said as he kissed her deeply and then teleported with the others back up to the Watchtower.

(Watchtower Cell block.)

The 'Bat' had waited until the others were gone before it began ripping the control panel to the inner cell controls off. He pulled out three wires and sliced them open with his claws. Slowly he tested for the strongest current and then placed it against the back of the main circuit board. He listened as the wires hissed and then burned out. If the 'Bat' smiled it would when the force field lost power and went down on his cell. Of course the alarms went off, but he could care less. The princess had made him loose time on his mission and he would deal with her later. He walked out into the hall and stretched his wings. He wondered how his weaker human counterpart got along without them before.

(Monitoring room)

Black Canary heard the alarms go off on a break out in the holding cells. She called Green Arrow and both of them headed down into the cell block to stop the escape. She stood in disbelief when she saw this creature that looked so much like Batman. But where Batman was obviously human there was nothing human about it. The creature let out an ear piercing screech at them. She narrowed her eyes at it.

"You're not the only one that can scream pal." She said as she let a blast of her sonic booming voice hit him.

Green Arrow watched in amazement as the 'Bat' continued to walk toward Dinah as she poured on her sonic scream. The creature finally reached her and back handed her through the door. He turned toward it and unleashed one of his explosive arrows. The arrow hit and he waited a second to see if it had stopped him. Instead he felt a hand grab his throat and pull him next to the creature. Its eyes narrowed into the most intense 'Bat glare' he had ever seen and then it took one of his arrow and smashed it against its head showing that the trick arrows had no effect.

"**I** am vengeance, **I **am the night, and **I **am pissed off!" The creature said as it began to beat Ollie senseless.

When Dinah finally woke up she looked over to see Ollie lying in a lump near her. His arms had been broken and it looked like the creature had gone as far as to break every single arrow and pinned him down with the heads of the explosive arrows.

"Dinah I can't get up. When I do it will blow a hole in the satellite. He could have killed me, but he just wanted to keep us busy as he left." Ollie said through gasps of pain.

"Oh God, Ollie wait I'll get help." Dinah said as she got up and held her ribs.

(Transporter Room)

The 'Bat' walked into the transporter and faced the other founders and Thor. It backed up as Thor walked toward him. The God of thunder struck him knocking him into the wall. As the 'Bat' began to get up it felt Thor's hands on the Eye of Odin. The Bat pulled back only fine the Eye coming loose. It screamed in pain as the eye finally came off and pulling with it a small blue orb. The Bat fell back and returned to a human form. Diana ran toward Bruce only to see emptiness in his eyes. She looked at Thor who shook his head.

"The Eye helps Gods direct their power. In some cases it can even increase a God's powers. In the hands of a supernatural creature it brings their true nature out, but with a mortal it brings the warrior spirit out. It is used on mortals to train the warrior spirit and separate the soul. The soul is taken to Valhalla and the spirit is sent after it dies. Once there the warrior is complete again and a thousand times the warrior he was, but it was not meant for him. He was to be collected by the Valkyries themselves." Thor said as he looked at the blue orb and forced it loose from the Eye.

"There is a small chance you can save him. I do not have the power to return his soul, only my mother Gaea has that power. If you can travel to the land of your birth you will find her. You must convince her that he is more than a warrior otherwise she will not be so inclined to return him." Thor said to Diana as he handed her the small blue orb.

Diana could feel the gentle warmth flowing from the orb. A sense of peace seemed to radiate from it. She knew at that moment she was really holding everything that was Bruce. They watched as his body stood and acted with no emotion. It walked beyond where they stood and seemed to dig out a spare uniform and belt. Once it was dressed the body stood waiting for directions.

(This is one of the shortest chapters. The reason for this is because I am going to write two different endings. Yes friends this story is coming to an end and one of them will be tragic. I want to thank everyone for reading and I especially want to thank The-Lady-Isis for all of the help.)


	11. Heart of Stone first ending

"**Heart of Stone"**

(This is the first ending of the story. I warn you now that it is bittersweet. In a way it is very tragic and fitting.)

_Themyscira_

Diana and Shayera landed in Themyscira. Hawkgirl still didn't understand why exactly she was going with Diana other than being a friend. She thought at first that she should go back and stay with Bruce's body in the invisible jet, but Diana had asked her to accompany her to the beach that her mother had formed her infant body at. Once there Diana took out one of the golden apples that Thor had given her and tore it in half. She took one half and tore it in half again and gave part of it to Shayera. Both she and Hawkgirl ate the pieces of the apple like Thor had said and laid the other on the ground. Diana took some of the clay she was formed from and placed it over the apple.

"Gaea mother of Thor I ask to speak to you." Diana said to the earth.

Shayera watched as the Earth shook slightly and slowly a temple arose from the clay. Out of it stepped Gaea spirit and Goddess of the Earth. The mother of Thor looked at Diana and smiled gently. She touched Diana and could feel the connection with the Amazon.

"You where formed from me. While Hippolyta raised you I more or less birthed you. I have watched the events unroll in the land of men and I know that my son, your 'brother' Thor has sent you to me. Let me ask you a question first. Is he worth it? I have watched his life and seen how much he has lost and then gave of himself to save others. He is worthy of Valhalla, but are you willing to lose him in order to save him?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Diana asked.

"If I reconnect his soul then I also mark him. I don't agree with Odin on everything, but I cannot stop the Valkyries from claiming his life. He has been connected with the Eye of Odin and because of that he is connected with Valhalla. His death may not be today or tomorrow, but it will come and it will be violent. He will die a warrior, and I do not like sending warriors to their deaths. So is there more to him than being a warrior?" Gaea asked.

"He is my love, and the father of our child. I love him and I would trade places with him if I could. I know that he would do the same for me." She said to Gaea.

"Good, love is good. I will reconnect his soul. Watch the skies and listen. When you hear their singing, and when you see their wings you will know that it is his time." She said as the blue orb shot off toward the invisible jet.

_(Gotham 8 years later)_

Bruce walked out of the movie theater with Diana and their daughter Athena. They had left their son Thomas at home with Alfred. Bruce smiled at Athena who was still acting out scenes from the "Gray Ghost" movie. He turned toward the street and smiled at Athena who now was holding onto her mother's hand. He looked and heard the flutter of wings. Stepping forward he held his hand above his eyes to cut the glare of the street light. There across the street was a man being mugged. Without thinking he rushed across the street.

Diana watched Bruce and held Athena protectively. If their daughter had not been with them she would have helped, but with her there she wanted to keep her daughter safe and away from harm. That's when she heard the sound of the wings flapping and strange singing. She looked up to see two winged women who seemed to both be there and not there at the same time. They landed next to Bruce and Diana looked at him in time to see the mugger fire the gun. Bruce stumbled back but lunged forward and caught the mugger by the collar. He struck the mugger and then the sound of the gun firing again. This time both men fell and Diana stood watching in terror. She picked Athena up and ran to Bruce. Standing above him was the Valkyries.

"Get away from him! It's not his time!" She shouted at the Valkyries. They looked at her with sad eyes and motioned for her to come toward him. She knelt down beside him.

"Bruce… Don't leave me." She said to him touching his face.

"Princess I can't stop this, but I will never leave you." He said as his eyes slowly closed.

Athena walked toward her father and touched his face. She tried to wake him up, but soon it became obvious that he wasn't going to wake back up. She fell to her knees and cried. The tears streamed down her face and she felt her mother pull her next to her. The Valkyries left without a soul. For all of their power they couldn't pull this warrior's soul away from his family. They knew that in time he would leave them, and when he did Valhalla would be waiting.


	12. Always Suffering

(This is the second ending of You can't live in fear. It is set after Diana's return from Themyscira. While it is happier than the original ending it does have some tragic settings. Also it note worthy to know that either ending will work with War of the Gods.)

**Always Suffering**

(Wayne Manor Bruce and Diana's bedroom)

Diana looked at Bruce as he lay so peacefully in bed. She had demanded that he rest once they arrived home. Part of the reason was because she believed that he had earned it, and the other was because this was something she had to do on her own. Getting up she walked out of the room and toward the Batcave. Once inside she found the sample of Scarecrow's fear gas that Bruce had in the cave for study and to create an antidote.

"Phobos I know that you are here. You are feasting on my fears of losing Bruce. I have come to make a deal with you." She said looking out into the darkness.

Slowly the shadows began to gather together into one spot and once they all took the shape of a man the god of fear walked out.

"What do you want 'Princess'?" The god of fear asked.

"You know of Scarecrow's fear gas don't you? I am here to make a deal that will give you much fear to feed from now. Gaea brought Bruce back to me, but she couldn't remove the mark of the Valkyries from him. She did tell me that it was within your power to do so. If you remove the mark from Bruce I will spray myself with the gas. It is the most consternated that Bruce has in the cave. You will be allowed to feed until Bruce comes down and releases me." She said.

"It is tempting, but not near good enough. I will be losing years of fear, worry, and dread from you. Not to mention the years of fear from your daughter when she witnesses his murder." He said as he looked at the surprise look on her face.

"I have spoken to Apollo and he informed me of what would happen should I not remove the mark. If you want me to remove it then take the gas to Themyscira and release it in the palace. I will feed on the fears of the Amazons there and when I have had my fill then I will remove the mark." He said as he grinned at her.

Diana felt her heart sink at his conditions. She loved Bruce more than she could ever explain, but if she did this then she could never return to her homeland, her mother and sisters would disown her, and she would be branded a traitor for all time. Looking at the floor she finally nodded.

"I'll do it." She said almost silently.

"Very well leave tonight and release the gas the moment you arrive in the palace. I will spare you from seeing your fears so that you may see what the cost of bargain truly is." Phobos said as he disappeared.

Diana walked upstairs and bumped into Alfred, who was carrying a glass of milk. The butler looked at her strangely for a moment before Diana lowered her head in shame.

"Alfred I am about to do something terrible. I know that it is wrong, but it is the only way to save Bruce. I can't let stay marked by the fates and the Valkyries, but I fear that he may stop loving me when he realizes what I had to do to save him." She said trying to fight back the tears being created by the breaking of her heart.

"Your highness Master Bruce would never stop loving you. Also he himself does not believe in fate and often says that there is no fate but what we make. Whatever you do or don't do you should know that he will always love you." Alfred said as he held the glass of milk.

"Thank you Alfred." She said as she kissed him on the cheek and then ran outside and jumped into the air.

She didn't often fly this far without the invisible jet, but tonight was different. Tonight she was going to face the possibility of losing all of her sisters and her mother. She wondered if they would even speak of her again. She landed on Themyscira and watched her mother walk out to meet her. Normally her mother was happy to see her, but tonight she looked stern and brooding.

"Lady Athena has informed me of why you have come my little sun and stars." Hippolyta said as she looked at her daughter.

"I take it that Phobos has been bragging." Diana said as she held the tank in her hands.

"The god of fear has told all of Olympus how he managed to defeat you into submission. He held the love you have for the one you've chosen over your head and forced this decision on you. Daughter we are ready for the test. We will not disown you nor will we hate you, but you will not be welcomed back for quite some time." Hippolyta said as they headed into the palace.

"Forgive me." Diana said as she ripped the top of the small tank off and watched as the fear gas engulfed everyone in the room.

Hippolyta, Epione, Euboea, and several others began backing away into a corner and screaming in terror at the visions of their greatest fears facing them. Diana watched in shame as her family went through one of the worst experiences in their lives. She turned her head and saw Phobos standing there smiling with such horrid glee. He laughed and walked toward Hippolyta who was pleading with Hercules, who had not been on Themyscira in centuries, not to rape her again. She wanted to comfort her mother, but she neared Hippolyta the Amazonian queen screamed again and threw a piece of a marble statue at her. Diana backed away feeling such shame at having forced this on her sisters and on her mother. She turned to see Athena walking forward with someone behind her.

The goddess of wisdom turned to allow Diana to see Bruce standing behind her. He raised a dart gun and shot all of the effected Amazons with it. Phobos turned to Athena and yawned.

"You ruined my feast." He said.

"Diana fulfilled her end of the bargain. Remove the mark from this mortal and then leave." Athena said narrowing her eyes at Phobos.

"Very well. Remember this night 'Princess'. Remember the price you paid for your beloved." He said as he walked toward Bruce and laid his hand on the Dark Knight's head. Bruce looked hard at the god of fear and the struck him in the balls once the mark was removed. Unprepared for the attack the god of fear fell to his knees.

"Know that even if you are a god I will find a way to make your eternal life a living hell. You killed my parents, took everything away from me, and then you forced the woman I love to betray her family. You are going to wish that you were never born." Bruce said to him as Phobos growled and left.

"Bruce I'm sorry, but I couldn't let you… Bruce the valkyries would have taken you in front of our daughter. I couldn't let that happen." She said as she finally fell to her knees.

He walked over to her and picked her up. She looked at his face to find quiet understanding and not the usual hard stoic face he normally wore.

"I understand the reasons Diana and I would have done the same to protect you, but don't ever think that I am not able to understand, or that I wouldn't love you." He said as he cradled her next to him.

Slowly Hippolyta and the other amazons came out of the fears they had faced and each looked at the man in their presence. Before any of them could say anything Athena informed them how it had been him that saved each of them. The amazons nodded and then looked at him again.

"You both shall be married here, now." Hippolyta said as she walked to her throne.

"What?" Diana asked confused.

"He has proven himself worthy of you. I do agree with many things from man's world, but I agree that he is worthy of marrying my daughter. You shall do so now." Hippolyta said as she motioned for the priestess to come forth.

For the first time since before Diana's 'birth' there was a marriage on Themyscira. She never would have believed that she would be marrying Bruce here among her sisters or in front of her mother. Lady Athena created the rings for them and handed the symbols to them. Finally after the ceremony they stayed for the night before leaving the following day.

(Beaches of Themyscira the following day.)

Hippolyta looked at both Diana and Bruce. She walked up to her daughter and pulled her into a gentle embrace.

"Daughter come back and visit again, but next time leave Phobos out of it." She said.

Diana smiled and nodded. She watched as Hippolyta walked toward Bruce who had returned to his normal stoic face and behavior.

"Take care of my daughter or face my wrath." She said simply before she turned and left.


End file.
